The ute wars have developed a plug. JAC has confirmed Hunter PHEV reservations open on 5 May, with the first 1,000 buyers scoring a complimentary home charger on delivery. Nothing says confidence quite like tossing in the hardware before most of your rivals have finished pretending diesel will rule forever.
JAC Australia is making a great deal of noise about 360kW of system power, 38g/km of CO2, 1.6L/100km on the NEDC cycle, and a 5 star ANCAP rating. Fair enough too. Those are the sort of numbers designed to make established ute brands glance nervously across the showroom and start muttering into their tea. This is not being pitched as a soft suburban runabout with a tray. It is a proper 4WD with front and rear diff locks, five off road modes, and a clear plan to rattle the old order.
Reservations open Tuesday 5 May at 5pm AEST, with first dealer arrivals due from late June. The final price is still missing, and that will decide whether Hunter becomes a genuine market headache or just a very noisy side quest. But the positioning is obvious enough. More power than any PHEV dual cab currently on sale here, lower claimed emissions, a local engineering programme under Project No Shortcuts, and vehicle dynamics work by Michael Barber. JAC is not entering the fight quietly.
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ABOVE: JAC Hunter PHEV display shots from the Melbourne Motor Show, including the booth display, reveal stage, underbody views, and black show ute with bike rack.
What JAC is promising
JAC says Hunter delivers 360kW combined, making it the most powerful plug in hybrid dual cab currently on sale in Australia. Claimed CO2 is 38g/km and fuel use is 1.6L/100km on the NEDC cycle, which sounds marvellous on a stand under bright lights and will need the real world to keep it honest. Even so, the point is plain. JAC wants ute buyers to stop thinking electrification means compromise and start thinking it might mean more grunt with fewer trips to the bowser.
Safety is another big card. Hunter carries a 5 star ANCAP rating, and that matters in a segment where family duty, fleet spreadsheets, and weekend heroics all end up tangled together. Add front and rear differential locks, plus Snow, Sand, Mud, Rock, and Off Road Crawl Control modes, and the Hunter is being pitched as a genuine work and adventure ute rather than some decorative lifestyle bauble with a tray tacked on the back.
Built for Australia, apparently
Under Project No Shortcuts, JAC says Hunter will complete more than 50,000 kilometres of local testing across Australian roads, terrain, climate, and conditions. That is sensible. Australians use utes harshly, often stupidly, and frequently as though warranties are a form of creative writing. The involvement of Michael Barber in the local dynamics tuning gives the whole thing a bit more credibility too. It suggests JAC understands that a spec sheet alone will not win over buyers who have been raised on diesel dual cabs as the national religion.
The final judgement still comes down to price. If Hunter lands with a sharp sticker, the first 1,000 reservation spots and that free home charger may vanish in short order. If it gets greedy, all this lovely theatre will amount to very little. For now, though, JAC has at least managed the hard part. It has made the segment pay attention.
| Model | Estimated/Starting Price (AUD) | Status |
| JAC Hunter PHEV | $55,000 – $58,000 (Est.) | Reservations open May 5 |
| BYD Shark 6 | $57,900 | Available Now |
| Ford Ranger PHEV | $71,990+ | Arriving 2026 |
| JAC T9 Diesel (Oasis) | $42,662 | Available Now |
| Feature | Specification |
| System Power | 360kW (Class-leading) |
| Fuel Consumption | 1.6L/100km (NEDC) |
| CO₂ Emissions | 38g/km |
| Safety Rating | 5-star ANCAP |
| Drivetrain | Genuine 4WD with front/rear diff locks |
| Drive Modes | Snow, Sand, Mud, Rock, Off-Road Crawl Control |
| Reservations Open | 5 May 2026, 5:00 PM AEST |
| First Deliveries | Mid-2026 |
| Launch Offer | Free home e-charger for first 1,000 reservations |
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Alan Zurvas is the founder and editor of Gay Car Boys, Australia's leading LGBTQI+ automotive publication. Before launching GCB in 2008, Alan's automotive writing was published in SameSame.com.au and the Star Observer. With over 16 years of hands-on car reviewing experience, Alan brings an honest, irreverent voice to every review — championing value and innovation over brand loyalty.
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