T9 PHEV will become one of South Africa's most powerful bakkies when it eventually goes on-salel.
Confirmed back in March as having received approval for South Africa, JAC has indicated that its rival for the BYD Shark, the plug-in hybrid T9, will now only become available in the first quarter of 2026.
Its first plug-in hybrid, the T9 won’t use the Hunter suffix as in its home market as this denotes the flagship special edition currently sitting atop the local line-up.
What to expect
Introducing JAC’s H-Power system to South Africa, the PHEV combines a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a 31.2-kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery pack powering two electric motors.
On its own, the engine makes 160kW/370Nm while the front axle-mounted motor develops a maximum of 130kW/300Nm and the rear as much as 150kW/340Nm.
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Combined, the setup amounts to 290kW/670Nm, 30 kW less but 20 Nm more than the 1.5-litre arrangement in the Shark.
Trouncing the 205 kW made by the 2.3-litre engine not-for-South-Africa Ford Ranger PHEV, which has the same torque output, the T9’s claimed electric range is still unknown, though JAC claims a full charge within 25 minutes.
Able to still tow the same 3 500 kg as the rest of the T9 range, the PHEV will be equipped with four-wheel drive as standard, along with a pair of locking rear differentials.
Likely spec
Likely to be offered solely in top-spec Super Lux guise, expect the T9 PHEV to have the following as standard:
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- folding and heated electric mirrors
- side-steps
- roof rails
- auto on/off LED headlights
- rain sense wipers
- dual-zone climate control with rear vents
- push-button start
- heated and electric front seats
- seven-inch digital instrument cluster
- front and rear armrests
- 10.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- wireless smartphone charger
- six-speaker sound system
- auto-dimming rearview mirror
- sunroof
- reverse camera
- front and rear parking sensors
- 360-degree camera system
- Cruise control
- Tyre pressure monitor
- Hill Descent Control
- Hill Start Assist
Projected pricing
As it stands, no pricing details are known, though with the T9 Hunter priced at R689 900, expect the PHEV to possibly retail around the R750 000 to R800 000 when it arrives.
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