GWM TANK 500 Hi4-T PHEV debuts in Australia

GWM has added a new range-topping variant to its off-road SUV TANK range – the TANK 500 Hi4-T PHEV. Making its world debut in Australia, the new TANK model is GWM’s fourth PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) model released this year and the second with the brand’s innovative and class-leading Hi4-T technology.

GWM Hi4-T technology
GWM’s Hi4-T technology stands out for innovation with electric motors front and rear mated to a 2-litre turbocharged petrol hybrid engine and a mechanical 4WD system. This drivetrain is said to deliver superior performance on highways as well as in off-road conditions. Despite its weight, the TANK 500 Hi4-T is claimed to be able to go from standstill to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds.

The 2-litre petrol engine produces 245 ps/380 Nm which works with the electric motors that generate a total of 120 kW (163 ps)/400 Nm to give a combined system output of 300 kW (408 ps)/750 Nm. The electric motors are powered from a NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) battery with a 37.11 kWh capacity.

In the past, anyone who bought a large SUV (or even a medium-sized one) didn’t think about fuel consumption. It was accepted that with the larger-capacity engine and the vehicle’s greater weight, fuel economy was not something to talk about.

950-km range
Not so with today’s electrified powertrains where an electric motor helps in moving the vehicle. GWM claims that the TANK 500 Hi4-T can do up to 950 kms on a fully charged battery and a full tank of fuel with a consumption of 47.6 kms/litre. For adventurers who plan to travel far and in remote areas, that’s got to be a big plus point.

There’s also another benefit from a PHEV powertrain. When there is sufficient charge in the battery, the SUV can run like an EV using just electricity for up to 120 kms. The electric motors not only help extend the range but also reduce CO₂ emissions significantly because the engine runs less. The TANK Hi4-T PHEV emits just 47 gms of CO₂ per km, much less than the 199 gms/km from the TANK 500 Hybrid.

Finally, although the battery pack adds weight, there is also weight-saving from not having to put a fuel tank for a large volume. The TANK 500 Hi4-T PHEV’S TANK contains just 60 litres whereas a SUV of this size with a combustion engine might have around 100 litres. And according to the GWM spec sheet, the engine is tuned for optimum performance with RON91 petrol.

3 locking differentials
This GWM SUV is engineered to go almost anywhere on the planet. If the terrain gets very difficult, the front, centre and rear differentials can be locked to control flow of torque to each axle. For water crossings, the Tank 500 Hi4-T has a wading depth of 800 mm.

Like most modern PHEVs, there’s also Vehicle to Load (V2L) functionality which allows drawing on the electricity in the battery pack to charge external equipment or devices, Up to 6 kW is available from the ‘mobile powerbank’.

The TANK 500 Hybrid is already available in Malaysia, having been launched at the Malaysia Auto Show 2025 in May. GWM Malaysia’s COO, Roslan Abdullah, is in Australia this week to personally test the new SUV and consider whether to include it in the local range in 2026 Given what we know about the TANK 500 Hi4-T, we think he will be impressed enough to want to bring it in.

GWM TANK 300 tested off-road at M4TREC (video)