JAC says it has officially begun its New Zealand pre-launch testing program for the T9 PHEV ute, building on testing also being conducted in Australia, where JAC worked with local experts and utilised facilities including the former Holden Lang Lang proving grounds.
The company says its New Zealand team will apply the same approach taken with the T9 diesel ute prior to its local launch, with the plug-in hybrid completing "hundreds of hours" of testing across tarmac, mud, snow, gravel, and river crossings.
JAC first unveiled the T9 PHEV to New Zealand customers at Fieldays in June 2025, showing a bold orange prototype to gather real-world feedback, which the company says led to insights fed directly back into vehicle development.
The T9 PHEV is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and a pair of electric motors fed by a 32kWH battery. The battery is said to be good for up to 100km range under the NEDC cycle, so expect to see around 80 to 90 in real world terms, while the powertrain produces combined outputs of 385kW and 1000Nm, which places it in a similar area as the forthcoming 350kW/700Nm 2.0-litre BYD Shark 6 Performance.
While the T9 PHEV will be JAC's first electrified ute offering, the company has proven experience in electrification JAC with its EV truck range in use with local fleets including Woolworths, KiwiHarvest, Kaibosh, and Fieldays, alongside global operators including DHL, Heineken, Kraft Heinz, PepsiCo and Ikea.
Andrew Craw, General Manager of JAC New Zealand, said that the timing of a plug-in hybrid Ute for the
local market couldn't be better.
"We're excited to be putting the T9 PHEV through its paces here in New Zealand. There's never been
a more relevant time for a vehicle like this, as Kiwis look for options that balance performance, capability and efficiency," he said.
"Putting it through real-world Kiwi conditions is critical to making sure it delivers where it matters most - so we can say with confidence it does what it says on the tin!"
JAC NZ says it will will continue to share updates as testing progresses, with the vehicle set to go through a full range of ute-duties from towing and off-roading to everyday worksite and family demands.
