JAC to feature T9 Hunter PHEV ute at Fieldays

Damien O’Carroll

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  • Chinese truck maker JAC will feature its new T9 Hunter plug-in hybrid at the Fieldays.
  • While the ute has no firm release date in NZ, the company wants feedback from potential buyers.
  • The National Fieldays will be held at Hamilton's Mystery Creek from this Wednesday until Saturday the 14th.

The burgeoning battle in the plug-in hybrid ute sector is heating up, with the reveal of what will potentially be a new competitor from a Chinese manufacturer.

JAC says it will "signal the brand’s bold future in top commercial vehicles" at this year’s National Fieldays - to be held at Hamilton's Mystery Creek from this Wednesday - with the New Zealand reveal of its cutting-edge T9 Hunter PHEV.

JAC will have a prototype of its plug-in hybrid T9 ute at the National Fieldays this week.

Described by the company as a "high-performance" plug-in hybrid ute, the T9 Hunter PHEV features a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine paired with dual electric motors, and JAC are targeting a massive torque output of 1000Nm. The company pointedly observes that this is considerably more than the BYD Shark 6 that is the first PHEV pick up to land here.

The vehicle that will be on display at Mystery Creek is a prototype, as the T9 Hunter is still in pre-launch development, but the company says that the "high-torque hybrid system" is designed to drive more than 100km on electric power alone and "a significant amount more" in hybrid mode.

The company is wanting to collect feedback from potential buyers at the Fieldays before it commits to a local launch.

JAC says that the vehicle is currently in New Zealand for evaluation and that the T9 Hunter PHEV’s local launch is yet to be confirmed with JAC NZ General Manager Andrew Craw saying that before committing to the new model that they will be undertaking “loads of Kiwi testing on NZ soil” as well as listening to local feedback at Fieldays.

"The T9 Hunter PHEV shows what JAC can deliver in the world of electric and hybrid workhorses. But first we want to hear what Kiwis think and get the PHEV out and about on and off NZ roads for rigorous testing," said Craw.

JAC says it is targeting a massive torque figure of 1000Nm for the Hunter, with an all-electric range of more than 100km.

In addition to the PHEV prototype, JAC’s display at Fieldays will include the T9 diesel ute, along with the brand's light duty EV and Cummins diesel trucks, spotlighting JAC’s growing footprint in the New Zealand market.

JAC has opened three new dealerships in Napier, Auckland's North Shore, and Hamilton that join existing sites in Botany, New Plymouth, and Christchurch, while the company says nationwide support for its light-duty EV and diesel trucks is provided via the Southpac Truck network.

"Fieldays is a big moment for us," said Craw. "Not just with the T9 PHEV, but with new sites opening too. Unlike the carbon footprint of this ute, our footprint’s getting bigger in all the right places!"

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