Australia’s newest car brand GAC has confirmed plans to launch a hybrid-powered dual-cab car in 2027 to take on the BYD Shark 6 as well as the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger.
In conversation with Daily Sparkz At the brand’s official Australian launch in Sydney this week, GAC International president Wei Haigang said the carmaker – China’s fourth largest – plans to bring a ute to local showrooms within 18 months.
“To be honest, we are a little late in developing our pickups,” said Mr. Wei. “But at the Shanghai Auto Show in April (2025), we showed the concept pickup with hybrid drive.”
Dubbed Pickup 01, the Shanghai concept featured a “sci-fi” exterior design similar to the Tesla Cybertruck and the recent Hyundai Crater concept. It was based on a new platform called GAC Adaptive Intelligent Architecture (GAIA), which had not yet been used on a GAC showroom model.
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It featured a plug-in hybrid powertrain (PHEV) – like the BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon Alpha and Ford Ranger PHEV already found in Australian showrooms – although specific details of the build were not revealed.
“We are currently beginning to explore the possibilities and feasibility of introducing new energy (electrified powertrain) pickups into the Australian market that can meet (customers’) requirements,” Mr Wei said.
“We hope to bring this model to the Australian market by 2027,” he confirmed.
GAC’s first hybrid model in Australian showrooms is the M8 People Mover – the first brand PHEV people mover in Australia – which combines a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a single electric motor.
GAC’s local arm is also considering the S7 large hybrid SUV, which will be offered in China in single and dual electric motor versions combined with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine.
But a dual cab would play an even more important role in GAC’s goal of becoming a top 10 car brand in Australia by 2030 – a target that would require selling around 43,000 vehicles a year, based on 10th-placed GWM’s sales performance last year.
Australia’s two most popular car brands both have double cabs as previous bestsellers in 2025 – the Toyota HiLux and the Ford Ranger – showing how important these cabs continue to be for the largest car manufacturer in this market.
In Ford’s case, the Ranger accounts for around two-thirds of the US carmaker’s total sales volume in Australia.
Toyota Australia says the local market has reached its “peak” and the company has indicated the popular RAV4 mid-size SUV will be its most popular model in the long term after the HiLux goes on sale for the first time in 2024.
In addition to the M8 People Mover, GAC is coming to Australia this month with the petrol-powered Emzoom small SUV and the Aion V mid-size electric SUV.
MORE: Discover the GAC showroom
