GWM Chairman Jack Wei has confirmed the Chinese automaker will introduce a diesel hybrid powertrain to global markets including Australia, with company testing showing fuel savings of up to 30% and claimed compliance with Europe’s incoming Euro 7 emissions standards.
Speaking to overseas media at the Beijing Auto Show, Wei said the diesel hybrid system, expected to carry the Hi4-G badge in line with GWM’s existing commercial vehicle hybrid platform, has been in development for around six years.
Testing in commercial vehicles has demonstrated fuel savings of around 15% in flat conditions and up to 30% in more demanding environments. Wei specifically identified Australia as one of those challenging operating environments, signalling clear intent for the system to reach the local market.
“The traditional weaknesses of diesel, such as lag during acceleration and higher noise, are addressed by electrification,” Wei said via his translator. “Electric assistance removes lag and reduces noise.”
At speeds of around 50 to 60km/h, he says noise levels become comparable to petrol vehicles, with most customers unable to tell the difference.
Euro 7 compliance claims
Wei said GWM’s testing shows diesel paired with hybrid systems can meet Europe’s incoming Euro 7 standards, due to come into force from 29 November 2026 for newly type-approved cars and vans. In some cases, he added, that compliance can be achieved without AdBlue, the urea-based exhaust treatment fluid that has been near-universal on Euro 6 diesel vehicles.
Wei used the briefing to push back on the broader characterisation of diesel as a fuel best left behind.
“Diesel does produce higher particulate emissions compared to petrol,” he said. “However, in some markets like the USA there are fewer restrictions, while Europe has moved away from diesel and is now starting to miss it.”
Multi-powertrain strategy
The diesel hybrid forms part of what GWM Chief Technology Officer Nicole Wu calls an “all scenarios, all powertrains” strategy, retaining diesel, petrol, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric options across the company’s global product lineup. Most Chinese brands exporting to Australia have focused almost exclusively on petrol plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and battery electric vehicle (BEV) technology.
“When we go outside from China to overseas markets, we find that powertrain requirements are actually quite different compared with China,” Wu said.
She specifically referenced Australian buyer feedback as a guide for the multi-powertrain approach.
“Last year I spoke with local people, and they told me there is no replacement for displacement. So we have V8, we have V6, we have diesel, and we also have diesel hybrid.”
Australian product timeline
GWM has not yet confirmed which models will receive the Hi4-G diesel hybrid system, or when it will reach Australian showrooms.
The brand has already locked in an all-new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel for global debut in Australia in mid-2026, going into the Tank 500 large SUV and Cannon Alpha ute. Pairing that engine with hybrid hardware would give GWM a direct competitor to Ford’s V6 turbo-diesel offerings, with the added efficiency benefits of electrification.
Alongside the existing diesel and petrol Cannon variants, GWM has confirmed the standard Cannon will gain a Hi4-T petrol plug-in hybrid drivetrain later this year, sitting beneath the larger Cannon Alpha PHEV that’s already on sale.
The current GWM Hi4-T system on sale in Australia, used in the Tank 500 Hi4-T and Cannon Alpha Hi4-T, is a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol plug-in hybrid producing 300kW and 750Nm. Hi4-G would sit alongside it as a parallel diesel-electric option.
Competition emerging
GWM won’t be alone in bringing a diesel hybrid to market. Chery has confirmed its all-new dual-cab ute, currently codenamed KP31 and due in Australia in the fourth quarter of 2026, will launch with what the brand is billing as the world’s first plug-in hybrid diesel powertrain. Chery’s system pairs a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel with electric motors and a battery, with claimed combined outputs of 260kW and 680Nm.
Wei also confirmed GWM is pushing ahead with V8 development for global markets, including a Tank 700 V8 variant and a Ferrari-benchmarked supercar under the new GWM GF performance brand, expected to be revealed around 2027. Future high-capacity engines will likely include hybrid systems to meet CO₂ requirements, he said.
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