GWM reaffirms commitment to NZ and Australia, unveils Hybrid Tank 500 at Tech Day 2025
GWM has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to New Zealand and Australia while unveiling new hybrid and diesel models at Tech Day 2025, underscoring the region’s growing importance to the company’s global right-hand-drive strategy.
The event brought together senior GWM executives including James Yang, Vice President for International Markets; Parker Shi, Vice President and Head of GWM International; Nicole Wu, Global CTO; Richard Zhu, Chief Engineer for Hybrid Systems; and Steve Maciver, Head of Marketing and Communications for GWM Australia and New Zealand.
Australia and NZ at the Heart of GWM’s Global Strategy
Yang said Australia “hosts an irreplaceable role at the heart of GWM’s global right-hand-drive strategy.”
“Australia is the foundation of our sales success and testament to the trust we have built with our customers,” he said. “From January to September 2025 we delivered 42,156 vehicles across the Australia and New Zealand market — nearly half of our total right-hand-drive sales. We have been committed to this market for 17 years, with over 200,000 vehicles delivered, making us the longest-established Chinese auto brand in the region.”
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Yang described Australia as “a proving ground for our technology and product strength” and “a launch pad for reaching other premium markets like Europe.” He added that GWM recognises “the need to accelerate our new-energy-vehicle efforts in Australia and New Zealand” under the NVES and Clean Car Standard frameworks.
“Now it’s time for value”
GWM Vice President Parker Shi told attendees the company’s next phase would prioritise brand trust and sustainability over short-term sales growth.
“Now it’s time for value,” he said. “We’re not chasing volume for its own sake. We’re building a brand that Australians and New Zealanders can trust.”
Shi confirmed GWM is targeting around seven percent market share in Australia and investing heavily in aftersales capability. “More than 170 after-sales technicians have already been trained,” he said, adding the company will invest “three million dollars by 2026” to expand training facilities.
Shi said the region holds special significance for GWM. “This is our testing ground for high-end technology and the home we have built together with our users. We have never left, because we have come to see this land as our second hometown.”
Hybrid tech takes centre stage
GWM Global CTO Nicole Wu outlined the company’s extensive global R&D investment, saying innovation “isn’t just a buzzword — it’s our DNA.” She highlighted GWM’s 35 years of engineering experience, 25,000 engineers worldwide, and US$2.1 billion in annual R&D spending.
Wu said Australia’s challenging conditions make it the perfect testing ground for the brand’s hybrid systems. “We have been running local testing in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth — highways, gravel, mountain tracks and slippery roads — to ensure our cars feel at home here, not just visiting here.”
Chief Engineer Richard Zhu introduced the Hi4 hybrid platform, saying it “delivers maximum power of 635 kilowatts and torque of 1195 newton metres,” with up to 100 kilometres of electric-only range and more than 1000 kilometres total range.
“For hardcore off-road users we engineered our Hi4-T to conquer every terrain — snow, mud and mountains — while balancing performance and efficiency,” Zhu said. “Australia’s unique mix of highways, gravel roads and outback conditions is perfect for proving our hybrid systems.”
Tank 500 PHEV debuts as new flagship SUV
Steve Maciver, Head of Marketing and Communications for GWM Australia and New Zealand, unveiled the new Tank 500 Plug-in Hybrid, powered by the Hi4-T system.
He described it as “our new flagship SUV — a premium vehicle combining luxury and genuine off-road ability, powered of course by Hi4-T.”
The Tank 500 Hi4-T becomes GWM’s fourth PHEV model released this year and the second with the brand’s Hi4-T technology following the Cannon Alpha Hi4-T. The Tank 500 PHEV has electric motors front and rear mated to a 2.0-litre turbo petrol hybrid engine.
It has a mechanical 4WD system. With total combined outputs of 300kW and 750Nm, the Tank 500 Hi4-T has a tow rating of 3.0 tonnes braked. GWM claims the Tank 500 PHEV hit 100km/h in 6.9s while consumption is stated at 2.1L/100km. With a 37kWh NMC battery, GWM states an EV range of 120km.
Maciver confirmed additional models are on the way, including a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel Tank and a pickup to be revealed in Australia in May 2026.
Focus on quality, safety and service
Shi reiterated GWM’s customer-first approach, saying the company “will never compromise on product quality or service,” and that “trust is built through experience, not advertising.”
All GWM vehicles sold in New Zealand and Australia now carry a seven-year warranty and have achieved five-star ANCAP safety ratings.
Seventeen years after first arriving in Australia, GWM now operates under multiple sub-brands — Haval, Tank, Cannon, and Ora — and is positioning itself as a mature, long-term player in the region.
As Shi concluded: “We’ve been here 17 years — we’re not leaving. Australia and New Zealand are our second home.”
