Australia likely to get GAC PHEV ute in 2027

A RAPID expansion of GAC’s Australian line-up has been plotted to follow the introduction of two SUVs—the petrol Emzoom and electric Aion V—and the luxury M8 hybrid MPV later this month.

GAC has confirmed that it will launch five additional models in Australia by the end of 2027 and it is now nearly certain that a dual-cab ute will feature in the quintet.

At this year’s Auto Shanghai, GAC unveiled a futuristic-looking pick-up concept dubbed the PICKUP 01, with the vaguely Cybertruck-esque stainless steel ute debuting a new GAC Adaptive Intelligent Architecture (GAIA) platform.

With Chinese auto media suggesting a 2027 on-sale date has been locked-in for the production version of the PICKUP 01, the most senior GAC executive with oversight of the Australian market—and 83 others outside China—has provided more detail on the ute project.

“Our research has shown that for large-sized cars, for example, pick-ups and SUVs, maybe plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is a good choice,” GAC International president Wayne Wei told GoAuto.

“At the Shanghai Auto Show this year, GAC Group showed a hybrid pick-up as a concept car. We are making some preparations in this regard.”

In China, the pick-up segment represents around 1.5 per cent of the total market—that’s still around 400,000 units annually—but globally, ute sales represent around six million units per year.

Focus markets for the production GAC ute will include Australia, Mexico, South American countries, and Saudi Arabia, with Mr Wei telling GoAuto that GAC’s biggest foreign success has been found in the Middle East.

Quizzed on whether bringing a dual-cab to Australia was a necessity to build the GAC brand, Mr Wei said: “you are right.”

The GAC PHEV ute joins a throng of electrified utes headed to Australia to disrupt the early-mover success of the plug-in BYD Shark 6, which has recorded a bumper 15,181 deliveries to the end of October 2025 in its first year on sale.

In the ute segment, diesel remains king but among 4x4 dual-cabs, PHEV power has secured nearly 10 per cent market share overall, with the dominant Shark 6 joined in market by the larger GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV and a plug-in version of the Ford Ranger.

GoAuto understands that the internal combustion engine that will underpin the firm’s PHEV pick-up will be petrol and not diesel.

If the sophisticated PICKUP 01 gives any clue, the concept indicates that GAC will pursue a ute that is more premium than workhorse.

Aside from the concept ute’s striking appearance, under the skin it is fitted with a camera-based adaptive suspension system that scans the road surface 1000 times per second.

Its PHEV system is said to be capable of generating 12,000Nm (claimed) at the wheels, indicating that the concept may utilise the triple-motor system from GAC’s Aion Hyper SSR production supercar.