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Less than two years ago, the notion of a hybrid ute seemed fanciful in Australia.
Too much tech costing too much money seemed to be the main stumbling blocks.
Then the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) burst on to the scene, outstripping even the most optimistic sales forecasts and paving the way for a frenzy of followers from other, mainly Chinese, brands.
With most offering an enticing 80km to 100km of EV-only range (unladen) as well as vehicle-to-load (V2L) ability that can be used to power appliances and equipment, the circa-$50,000 to $65,000 PHEV ute segment is about to get white-hot.
So, is it all over for diesel utes? Here’s the current state of play.
The unbelievable success of the Shark 6 – in 2025 it was the fourth-best-selling ute overall in only its first full year in Australia – has prompted BYD to release a more-powerful Performance model.
This finally matches the best of the mid-sized diesel utes for braked towing capacity, up from 2500kg to 3500kg, but comes at a $5000 premium, from $62,900 (all prices listed are before on-road costs).
More importantly for many tradies, BYD further broke new ground in Australia last month by releasing our first-ever PHEV cab-chassis ute in Dynamic Double Cab guise from $55,900.
From $61,490 drive-away, the Cannon Alpha PHEV (P500) range is the larger of the two utes GWM sells in Australia, with completely different styling inside and out.
Launched last year, the PHEV provides a more-conventionally designed alternative and includes the required 3500kg braked towing capacity, in line with its continuing diesel-powered sibling.
Interestingly, the short-lived hybrid version of the Cannon Alpha failed to gain traction in Australia and was replaced by the better-received PHEV at the end of 2025. However, that is expected to return at some later date, so watch this space.
Coming mid-year from $50,000, the JAC Hunter PHEV will be the first of the cheap electrified utes, though it will keep up with the more-expensive dual-cab alternatives, with the required towing and EV-only range capabilities.
Announced for August this year, the smaller, value-focused and hitherto diesel-only Cannon (P300 series) in GWM’s ute artillery will gain its PHEV powertrain from the Cannon Alpha P500.
While it will provide a smaller cabin and fewer luxuries, a sub-$50,000 drive-away price has been hinted at by the brand, suggesting that this may end up being Australia’s cheapest PHEV ute before long.
Here’s another serious, potentially sub-$50,000 proposition coming.
At the time of publishing, Chery had yet to reveal what its PHEV ute will be called when it arrives later this year, with KP31 being a development codename.
As part of a public naming competition, finalists are Orca, Mate, Terra, Ridgeback, Stockman, Ironbark and Outrider.
How is this relevant? The Chinese brand hopes an ‘Aussie name’ might help convey the level of local testing and engineering that the all-new dual-cab ute is currently undergoing.
Other details to emerge include the fact that this will be Australia’s first-ever diesel-powered PHEV (all the others use petrol), promising class-best payload of 1000kg (exceeding the others by at least 200kg) and substantially extra torque for added pulling power, along with the now-prerequisite 3500kg braked towing capacity.
Poor old Ford has really missed the boat with the Ranger PHEV, even though it is, by some margin, the most-refined, comfortable and dynamically best ute. Sourced from South Africa (like its VW Amarok twin) rather than Thailand like the rest of the Ranger range, the PHEV suffers from three critical issues.
These are high pricing (from $71,990 for the plainly-equipped XLT), low EV-only range (coming in at a disappointing 45km or so) and perceived poor value (since the sophisticated Stormtrak that matches the Chinese utes for equipment starts from $87,000).
Still, along with the Everest, the Ranger remains the only new vehicle in the world designed and engineered in Australia for our conditions.
