Hunter gets honed: New JAC T9 plug-in hybrid ute retuned for Aussie conditions at Holden’s old home
JAC has completed a key stage of local development for its incoming T9 Hunter plug-in hybrid ute.
The Chinese commercial and SUV-focussed brand has confirmed the new dual cab petrol-electric PHEV has undergone testing at Victoria’s Lang Lang Proving Ground ahead of a planned Australian launch in mid-2026.
Of course you already knew the T9 was out and about courtesy of our scoop spy shots several weeks ago.
READ MORE: Spy pics reveal latest Chinese plug-in ute: JAC T9 Hunter is in Australia testing ahead of 2026 launch
READ MORE: BYD Shark hunter! 2026 JAC T9 Hunter PHEV Australian Edition gives us a taste of what’s in store for the Chinese Ford Ranger PHEV rival
READ MORE: Tougher than the rest? JAC questions competitors’ towing claims by promising the T9 Hunter PHEV ute will offer 3.5-tonne towing that won’t wilt in Australia’s heat
And, of course, Lang Lang was built and long the preserve of now defunct Holden car company. Nowadays it is owned by Vietnam’s VinFast, while another Chinese car company GWM has a permanent testing residency there.
JAC says the local engineering program is designed to adapt the dual-cab 4×4 PHEV to Australian conditions, with engineers from JAC working alongside Segula Technologies Australia during the Lang Lang phase.
According to JAC, the Hunter will eventually complete more than 50,000km of local testing and evaluation covering durability, towing, load carrying, powertrain calibration, on-road and off-road performance, acceleration and braking, plus advanced driver assistance systems.
The company says the program establishes a baseline for tuning the ute for local climates and usage demands, with technical director Hongjian Jiang describing Australia as a demanding environment for vehicle development.
“Lang Lang has been globally recognised as an automotive centre of excellence for many decades,:” heds aid.
“The extensive real-world testing we can replicate on its many arduous bitumen, dirt and offroad circuits all contributes to optimising JAC’s first plug-in hybrid ute for Australian conditions – and for Australian ute buyers.”
The Hunter is shaping up as a direct rival to a growing field of electrified dual-cab utes expected in Australia, including the BYD Shark 6 and Ford Ranger PHEV.
EV Central has previously reported that the JAC aims to position the Hunter as a heavy-duty alternative, including claims it will offer full 3.5-tonne towing capability without thermal derating in extreme heat.
JAC first showed the Hunter publicly at the 2025 Melbourne Motor Show, where the model’s plug-in hybrid system and rugged styling were revealed.
The powertrain combines a turbocharged petrol engine with dual electric motors and a 31.2kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery, while vehicle-to-load capability rated at 3.3kW will allow owners to run tools or external appliances directly from the vehicle.
The brand says feedback and data gathered during Australian testing will also feed into the global development program, underlining the importance of the local market for dual-cab ute engineering.
When it arrives in mid-2026, the Hunter PHEV will join JAC’s existing T9 diesel range and is expected to play a key role in the company’s push into the increasingly competitive electrified ute segment.
Final Australian pricing and specifications are yet to be announced, although JAC has confirmed the Hunter will be covered by its seven-year unlimited-kilometre warranty and ownership program.
“This local development program is our most exhaustive and ambitious to date,” said Ahmed Mahmoud, Managing Director of JAC Motors Australia.
“It will push JAC Hunter – and engineers from China and Australia – to the absolute limit.
“By the time JAC Hunter goes on sale, it will not just represent outstanding value, provide exceptional practicality, and come with JAC’s industry-leading warranty program. It will be match-fit and ready for Australia.”
