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GWM will follow Chery and Mercedes-Benz in launching diesel hybrid vehicles, with an Australian launch possible by the end of next year.
GWM has confirmed it will launch diesel hybrid technology, with Australian customer deliveries a chance to start by the end of next year.
Following rival Chery – along with Mercedes-Benz and, formerly, Audi – GWM will introduce diesel plug-in hybrid vehicles, as well as 'plug-less' hybrid versions.
The first GWM vehicles with diesel hybrid engines – a type of powertrain that Toyota and BYD have shown little interest in – are expected to debut in China in the first half of 2027.
Speaking with Australian media at the 2026 Beijing motor show, GWM chief technology officer Nicole Wu said diesel hybrid technology "will be important, especially for markets like Australia".
"We have technical solutions. Diesel engines have challenges with NOx and particulates, but hybrid systems help improve both," Wu added, when asked about managing emissions, such as NOx.
Adam Thomson, GWM chief engineer and technical director, added: "Modern emissions treatment systems combined with hybridisation provide effective solutions."
GWM's existing diesel engines, including its 2.0-litre, 2.4-litre and upcoming 3.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinders, are expected to be compatible with its hybrid systems, though the latter will initially launch in mid-2026 without any electrification.
Plug-in hybrid versions will include the Hi4-T system with mechanical four-wheel drive, similar to the current GWM Cannon Alpha, Tank 300 and Tank 500 petrol plug-in hybrids.
Diesel engines will also be compatible with GWM's Hi4-Z plug-in hybrid system, which places greater emphasis on electric power, featuring front and rear motors, larger batteries, and no mechanical four-wheel drive.
A GWM Tank 500 specification sheet shared by the company in China also lists a 'plug-less' hybrid version of its 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine.
According to the document, the Tank 500 diesel hybrid will add a 3.71kWh high-voltage battery and a three-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT), rather than the non-hybrid diesel's nine-speed torque-converter automatic.
Combined system output is listed at 145kW and 500Nm, up from 135kW and 480Nm, but less than the 170kW and 620Nm from the soon-to-launch, non-hybrid 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel.
In a media release, GWM said the 0-100km/h acceleration of its diesel hybrid vehicles is "nearly 40 per cent faster" than a non-hybrid equivalent, "with the electric motor instantly compensating for turbo lag, ensuring brisk starts and swift overtaking".
Speaking via an interpreter, GWM chairman Jack Wei told Australian media the "diesel hybrid technology is not new".
"It has been in development for around six years," Wei said.
"Testing in commercial vehicles has shown around 15 per cent fuel savings in flat conditions, and up to 30 per cent in more demanding environments, like Australia.
"The traditional weaknesses of diesel, such as lag during acceleration and higher noise, are addressed by electrification. Electric assistance removes lag and reduces noise.
"At speeds of around 50 to 60km/h, noise levels are comparable to petrol vehicles. In many cases, customers would not be able to tell the difference."
Chery's maiden ute – codenamed 'KP31' – will become the world's first production ute with a diesel plug-in hybrid system when it arrives in Australia by the end of 2026, followed by a BYD Shark 6-style petrol plug-in hybrid version next year.
In Europe, Mercedes-Benz continues to offer a plug-in hybrid diesel in models such as the GLC and GLE, while the Audi Q7 e-tron TDI has been discontinued, with the brand shifting its focus to petrol plug-in hybrids and full-electric models.
Many diesel vehicles in Australia, including the Toyota HiLux, Toyota Prado and Mazda CX-60, feature mild-hybrid technology, which reduces fuel use and emissions, but cannot drive on electric power alone.
Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
