JAC Hunter pricing locked in, undercuts BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV
The JAC Hunter has officially become Australia’s most affordable plug-in hybrid ute, launching with a sub-$50,000 price tag.
JAC Australia has confirmed Australian pricing for the new Hunter PHEV dual-cab ute, having previously alluded to it arriving from less than $50,000.
Prices kick off from $49,988 plus on-road costs for the entry-level JAC Hunter Pro, undercutting the BYD Shark 6 which starts from $57,900 before on-roads in its equivalent dual-cab pickup guise, as well as the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV Lux, currently down to $57,490 drive-away.
Opting for the better-equipped Hunter X raises the price to $54,844 plus on-roads, bringing it closer to the price of the BYD and GWM utes.
Regardless of variant, the JAC Hunter features just one powertrain, with its turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a pair of electric motors producing up to 360kW and 1010Nm, mated to a four-wheel drive system and four-speed hybrid transmission.
Assisted by a 31.2kWh battery, JAC claims up to 1005km of combined driving range on the lenient NEDC lab test cycle, as well as a combined fuel consumption of just 1.6L/100km, also under lab test conditions. It is claimed to be able to drive for 100km on electric-only power.
That’s more than double the Ford Ranger PHEV’s 49km claim, and identical to the Shark 6, however the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV is still the on-paper king with a 115km figure.
The GWM ute also has the highest claimed driving range, with a combined figure of 1060km, also on the NEDC cycle.
With a 3500kg braked towing capacity, it matches the Cannon Alpha PHEV, Ford Ranger Hybrid and BYD’s Shark 6 Performance variant.
A payload capacity of 715kg has been reported overseas for the Hunter - more than the Cannon Alpha (685kg) but less than the Shark 6 (790kg) and Ranger (808-973kg).
Standard equipment in the JAC Hunter Pro includes 18-inch wheels, automatic LED headlights and DRLs, front and rear fog lights, a rear sports bar, side steps, a spray-in tub liner, and full-size spare wheel.
Inside there’s a 7.0-inch TFT instrument display, a 10.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless phone charging, power-adjustable driver’s seat, leather-accented upholstery, and climate control.
Stepping up to the Hunter X adds front and rear differential locks (a $1888 extra for the Pro), a black styling package, black roof rails, rear privacy glass, power-folding mirrors, heated front seats, a power-adjustable passenger seat, puddle lamps, front parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, and a rear 220V accessory socket.
JAC claims to have undertaken more than 100,000km of local testing with the Hunter PHEV, which has included utilising Holden’s former Lang Lang proving ground, spearheaded by Australian engineer Michael Barber.
The brand will be hoping to capitalise on a recent influx of orders and deliveries for plug-in hybrids, as its existing offering in the related JAC T9 turbo-diesel ute has been one of the slowest sellers in the market.
Between January and June 2026, just 437 examples of the T9 have been delivered to Australian customers. For context, only the Jeep Gladiator (86 deliveries) has been a slower seller, while even the controversially styled Kia Tasman manages more deliveries in a month than the T9 does in half a year.
Jordan Mulach
