Has the BYD Shark 6 already been dethroned? Ahead of April arrival, GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV claims better towing and off-road numbers

The BYD Shark 6 is no longer the only plug-in petrol-electric ute hunting diesels, with the 2025 GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV spec and pricing confirmed ahead of an April arrival in Aussie showrooms.

The Cannon Alpha plug-in will be offered in both Lux and Ultra trims and priced from $63,990 or $68,990 drive-away.

But the bad news is it lands just days after the March 30 deadline for the lucrative Fringe Benefit Tax exemption that’s available to buyers using novated leases.

READ MORE: 2024 GWM Haval Jolion Lux hybrid review: One of the most affordable hybrids on-sale in Australia and possibly the most annoying
READ MORE: 2025 GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV review: plus-sized plug-in dual cab on Aussie soil
READ MORE: Plug-in frenzy! GWM announces PHEV Haval H6GT, Cannon Alpha ute and H6 SUV for Australia to target Toyota’s hybrid supremacy

It’s worth pointing out that the latest plug-in hybrid ute commands a price premium over its direct rival, the BYD Shark 6 ($57,900 plus on-roads, or $58,789-$63,725 drive-away depending on state), but only costs $4000 more than the combustion-powered Cannon Alpha.

Helping justify its premium, the new GWM Shark hunter blends a nine-speed auto with traditional four-wheel drive hardware that includes three lockable differentials and a high and low transfer case.

Throw in a decent 224mm of ground clearance and GWM’s new offering can wade water up to an impressive depth of 800mm – 100mm deeper than the BYD.

Back on the road the GWM Alpha Cannon PHEV relies on a 180kW/380Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol that is blended with a 120kW/380Nm electric motor and a 37.1kWh battery pack.

Combined, the 300kW Alpha Cannon produces less power compared to the BYD Shark (321kW) but churns out more torque (750Nm v 650Nm).

It’s the latter that helps the plug-in pick-up tow up to 3500kg. That figure is far higher than the 2500kg capability of the BYD Shark 6.

Another highlight of the latest electrified ute is it can travel up to 110km on pure-electric power alone – 10km more than its rival claims.

With a full charge and tankful of fuel the total range is said to be 880km – that’s about 80km more than the BYD.

Unusually, the Cannon Alpha PHEV can even use its electric mode in 4WD high range, offering its zero-emission motoring off road.

Another benefit of the GWM hybrid ute (like the Shark 6) is it is compatible with DC fast charging at up to 50kW, with a 30 to 80 per cent top up taking 26 minutes, while AC charging at up to 6.6kW takes around 6.5 hours.

Coming standard with vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, the new ute can power external electrical devices up to 3.3kW.

The big drawback of the new GWM ute is its weight. Tipping the scales at a substantial 2810kg (which translates into a 3495kg gross vehicle mass) the payload is limited to just 683kg – a big drop compared to the 790kg the BYD Shark 6 can carry and a long way off the 1000+kg diesel utes like the Ford Ranger can handle.

Fuel consumption for the Canon Alpha PHEV is claimed to be just 1.7L/100km. Butv that’s derived from theoretical laboratory figure rather than real world testing.

From launch the Cannon Alpha ute comes well-equipped with the base Lux plug-in hybrid bagging auto LED headlamps, side steps, 18-inch alloy wheels, a spray-in tub liner, rear privacy glass, fake leather seats, dual climate control, a six-speaker sound system and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that’s combined with a 12.3-inch infotainment system that runs a wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Pay more for the Ultra (+$5000) and you get a 60/40 split tailgate, power-fold mirrors, LED fog lamps, a panoramic roof, leather heated and ventilated (front and rear) eight-way adjust massage seats with a memory function, head-up display. 64-colour ambient lighting, a 10-speaker sound system, plus auto park assist tech.

From launch the GWM Cannon Alpha comes in Marble White as standard, with Lunar Red, Onyx Silver, Storm Grey and Crystal Black costing an additional $595.

The Ford Ranger PHEV is the next plug-in we are waiting for more detail on.