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GWM preparing Tank 300 for visit to the plug
Addition of a battery pack and electric motor translates to a output of 185 kW and EV only range of 105 km.
Tank 300 PHEV has been lightly altered outside, but as extensive as underneath its bonnet. Image: carnewschina.com
With the market debut of the Tank 300 in South Africa seemingly around the corner, parent company, Great Wall Motors (GWM), is going ahead with the introduction of a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) derivative in China.
Tank 300 range
Shown on local soil for the first time at the Nampo Agricultural expo in Bothaville in the Free State in May, the local market 300, which will be sold as the GWM Tank 300 rather than under the Tank brand as in China, will be offered with either a conventional turbo-petrol engine or a hybrid under the HEV banner.
Both units displace 2.0-litres with the former producing 162kW/387Nm and the latter, bolstered by the electric hardware, 258kW/615Nm. Respective transmission options are an eight-speed automatic and a uniquely tuned nine-speed self-shifter.
The PHEV difference
According to CarNewsChina, the Tank 300 PHEV’s alterations won’t be limited to underneath the bonnet as GWM will be offering a choice of three grille options, silver or two-tone diamond-cut alloy wheels and black or colour coded mirror caps.
A PHEV badge on the tailgate rounds the exterior off, together with the auxiliary charging flap and outlet on the left rear wing.
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Dimensionally unchanged from the petrol and HEV, no details were divulged as to possible interior adaptions, however, expectations are that unique readouts and graphics could feature within the dual 12.3-inch infotainment system and instrument cluster.
Also likely is a revised drive mode selector with a hybrid or electric settings.
Power and range
On the power front, the PHEV carries over the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol combustion engine, but with the addition of a 37.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack powering an electric motor of unspecified capacity.
The end result is a combined system output of 185 kW and an all-electric range of 105 km. Similar to the HEV, the Tank 300 PHEV utilises a nine-speed automatic gearbox developed specifically to suite the powertrain’s characteristics.
South Africa needs to wait and see
Going on-sale in China within the coming months, the Tank 300 remains an unknown entity for South Africa as a result of local market sales having not yet commenced.
Should GWM, operating as Haval South Africa, give approval though, expect 2024 or even 2025 as the likely years of reveal.
Additional information from sohu.com.
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