GWM is set to further expand its SUV lineup in Australia, with the mid-size Haval H7 and larger Tank 500 PHEV slated to launch over the coming months.
“We will have H7 coming through in around August, and Tank 500 PHEV in roughly October,” GWM Australia’s head of marketing and communications, Steve Maciver, told media including CarExpert.
“We confirmed those launches were happening earlier, but the dates are starting to firm up. We think there’s opportunity with those two tech-driven cars coming through.”
Built on the same LEMON platform as the Haval H6 and Haval H6 GT, the more rugged Haval H7 will hit local roads in August, and as of yesterday potential buyers can submit an expression of interest online.
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Like the Haval H6, the Haval H7 features MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension, but it differs with a locking rear differential and a “light off-road cruising mode”.
Local pricing and full specifications remain under wraps, but GWM Australia has confirmed on its website that the Haval H7 will offer a 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated seats, eight-speaker sound system, power driver’s seat, head-up display, surround-view camera, and 19-inch alloy wheels.
The Haval H7 joins the Haval Jolion, Haval H6, Haval H6 GT, Tank 300, and Tank 500 in GWM’s SUV lineup in Australia.
As for the Tank 500 PHEV, it will arrive in October, bringing plug-in hybrid tech to GWM’s flagship SUV.
First launched as a rival to the Toyota LandCruiser Prado and Ford Everest off-roaders in 2024, the Tank 500 is currently sold as a non-plug-in hybrid with an asking price of between $64,490-75,990 drive-away.
Plug-in hybrid pricing and model grades are yet to be announced, but GWM Australia previously told CarExpert a PHEV would attract an estimated premium of between $6000 and $15,000 over the current HEV.
This could mean a starting price of between $70,490 and $79,490 for the base PHEV, with the Ultra sitting somewhere between $77,990 and $86,990 before on-road costs – the highest list-price for a GWM sold here to date.
While there’s certainty surrounding the type of powertrain in this latest addition to the Tank 500 range, the specifics haven’t been confirmed. Two PHEV options are on the table, the Hi4-T and the new-generation Hi4-Z systems, both of which are different approaches to plug-in hybrid tech.
The pair share the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, but differ in packaging, design, and capability.
The Hi4-Z system runs a 185kW/380Nm version of the 2.0-litre engine combined with two electric motors – one on each axle – for peak combined outputs of 635kW and 1195Nm. In China, the Tank 500 Hi4-Z uses a 59.05kWh battery pack with a claimed 201km (WLTC) electric-only driving range and 1096km total range.
GWM says that the central battery packaging of the Hi4-Z benefits weight distribution, battery safety, and boot space.
Conversely, the Hi4-T setup is the same system found in the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV. That means system outputs of 300kW and 750Nm, and a 37.1kWh battery pack.
MORE: 2025 GWM Tank 500 PHEV to beat Prado, Everest in offering plug-in power in Australia
