We were wondering where all the plug-in utes were for so long, and now suddenly they’re a real… thing. Three to choose from in New Zealand right now, in fact: the BYD Shark 6, Ford Ranger PHEV and our test vehicle here, the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV. Which obviously gets the prize for the biggest mouthful of a name.
These three are all quite different in design and intent. The Alpha is half a size bigger than those two alternatives for a start (the standard-size Cannon diesel is closer to the Shark/Ranger). But if we had to put the big fella into context within this trio, we’d say it aims to combine the impressive electric range of the BYD with the no-compromise 4x4/tow ability of the Ranger.
Which is not to say it’s the best of both worlds, because achieving those things creates compromise in other areas. But if that was the mission… mission accomplished.
There's a Cannon Alpha HEV (hybrid) too, of course; but the PHEV takes GWM’s 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and adds a massive 37.1kWh plug-in battery and gearbox-integrated electric motor, to give 115km EV range. That’s an (Australian-centric) NEDC figure, but we easily achieved 100km per charge during our time with the vehicle.
GWM is proud of the Alpha’s 4x4 chops and to prove a point, it recently sent the PHEV (on all-terrain tyres) up the notorious Beer O’Clock hill at Springs 4x4 Adventure Park in Queensland, Australia, making it the first-ever PHEV to reach the summit.
You could argue Alpha PHEV aims to combine the impressive electric range of the BYD Shark 6 with the no-compromise 4x4/tow ability of the Ranger PHEV.
Downsides? That big battery has to go somewhere, and to make it fit GWM has removed the spare wheel from under the vehicle; it’s relocated to the tray, bolted to the wellside. Not exactly elegant, but the company argues it’s at least accessible - and you can easily remove it if you want the full tray.
The rear suspension still has an articulation-friendly live axle, but it’s moved from super-tough leaf springs to multi-link attachment (space again). Didn’t seem to stop the PHEV up Beer O’Clock, though.
Alpha PHEV is still rated to tow 3.5 tonnes, which is a big bold entry in the brag book. But you’ll need a truck licence to do that legally.
And the Cannon Alpha PHEV is very heavy. At 2810kg it’s over 300kg more weighty than the standard turbo-diesel model, with a diminished 685kg payload (Alpha diesel 821kg). Mainstream “one-tonne” utes can generally carry close to… well, you know.
Alpha PHEV is still rated to tow 3.5 tonnes, which is a big bold entry in the brag book. But thanks to the vehicle’s own mass, you’ll need a truck licence to do that legally (the same is true of the Ranger, mind).
The Alpha PHEV has 50kW DC fast-charge ability. You can use those public stations to power up pretty quickly.
To be honest, some of the theoretical downsides can also be upsides in day-to-day driving. With 300kW/750Nm on tap, performance is effortless, and the extra weight/multi-link rear brings benefits for the Alpha’s on-road ride.
Despite the big EV range, this is still very much a hybrid in the way it behaves. If you drive gently you can keep it in electric mode (which can be individually selected, along with HEV or Intelligent), but the petrol engine fires up readily if you give it a bit of throttle.
The official fuel economy figure is 1.9l/100km, which in standard-PHEV practice includes a full battery charge - so that doesn’t really tell you a lot.
Use it in one of the hybrid modes and you’ll get consumption in the 8s on the open-road; it nibbles away at the battery but also seems very good at regeneration (you can set the level). Use it to charge the battery while you drive and it’s pretty thirsty; we tried it and climbed into the 15l bracket on a trip.
You don’t need to do that anyway, because the Alpha PHEV has 50kW DC fast-charge ability. You can use those public stations to power up pretty quickly.
You can also use the vehicle’s battery to power external devices using a V2L adapter at up to 6kW, although that’s your only option: it doesn’t have power outlets in the tray like the Shark 6 or Ranger PHEV.
The Cannon Alpha remains an imposing and luxurious ute, with cabin styling clearly inspired by Mercedes-Benz and a neat voice control system that allows you to bypass the slightly fiddly back-and-forth on the infotainment screen for often-used functions like audio and climate.
It’s loaded with active safety features, too; and after our experience of the previous Tank 500 (the SUV version of the Alpha) and Cannon Alpha HEV models nearly a year ago, it’s clear that GWM is making strides in correcting the overly fussy driver assists that have plagued many of its models. This one was a lot less annoying and importantly, many features can now be turned off and stay off, even when you restart.
At the special launch price of $64,990, our Cannon Alpha Lux PHEV (it’s the entry model) is a vast quantity of pickup truck for the money. Still well-equipped, too.
Ordinarily, we’d do the cliche motoring-journalist thing and point you towards the cheaper one, but in this case we still reckon the more upmarket Ultra is worth having. In fact, we’d go so far as to say the specification has been curated to really push you towards the kitted-up version.
The Ultra adds some stuff that you might regard as must-haves on a Cannon Alpha: memory/auto-fold mirrors (which are handy on a vehicle this size), front seats with extra power adjustment, heating/cooling and massage, heating/cooling and power “welcome function” for the rear chairs, reversing/parking assist and wireless phone charging for both front and rear occupants - because wireless projection (which the Lux does have) eats up your mobile battery on longer trips.
The Ultra also gets the sliding rear window and GWM’s questionable but conversation-piece-friendly split tailgate. And quite a bit more, making the $7k price premium seem okay; especially when this ute is being offered at such a sharp price to begin with. They’ll all be going up $5k in October, to $69,990 (Lux) and $76,990 (Ultra).
Oh, and Ultra also gets a front differential lock (Lux rear-only), so it’s the last word in 4x4 ability. Which is a lot of what the Alpha is about.
How much is the GWM Cannon Alpha Lux PHEV?
The entry-level Cannon Alpha PHEV is $64,990,a special launch price that will stay in effect until October 2025. After that, both the Lux and $69,990 Ultra will go up $5k to $69,990 and $76,990 respectively.
What are the key statistics for the GWM Cannon Alpha Lux PHEV?
The hybrid powertrain makes a monstrous 300kW/750Nm and the 37.1kWh battery can provide over 100km pure-electric driving. The electric motor is integrated into the 9-speed automatic transmission and it's a full low-range 4x4.
Is the GWM Cannon Alpha Lux PHEV efficient?
That big battery mans you can drive it day-to-day on electric power... easily. Even with the Alpha PHEV's considerable 2810kg weight to contend with, we got fuel economy in the 8l-bracket driving in hybrid mode - as good as (or better than) a traditional one-tonne diesel ute.
Is the GWM Cannon Alpha Lux PHEV good to drive?
It's smooth (of course) and switches between electric and hybrid without too much fanfare. It's no sports truck, but it's a great balance of refined on-road manners and awesome 4x4 ability.
Is the GWM Cannon Alpha Lux PHEV practical?
The cabin is vast, as it should be - it's a ute that's quite a bit larger than a Ford Ranger or Toyota Hilux. The payload is compromisd by the weight of the car and the spare wheel in the tray is a pain (and looks weird), but it's easily removed.
What do we like about the GWM Cannon Alpha Lux PHEV?
It's handsome, smooth to drive and boasts an incredibly EV range that makes you feel a bit eco-smug about driving around in a 2.8-tonne pickup truck. The DC fastcharging is handy when you've got such a big battery and it's 4x4 credentials are there for all to see.
What don’t we like about the GWM Cannon Alpha Lux PHEV?
You feel the weight when the electric motor is getting the thing moving in city driving, the infotainment OS is still a bit fiddly when you're switching between phone projection and trying to find other settings in the car's own menus, and the 685kg payload does sound a bit pathetic compared to other utes (although the tow rating of 3.5t is the real deal).
What kind of person would the GWM Cannon Alpha Lux PHEV suit?
Somebody who wants a big, luxurious truck with full 4x4/tow cred, but also wants to feel good about having a big EV range to draw on for city (or other) driving.