Overview 

GWM’s big Cannon Alpha Ultra PHEV 4x4 tested has a lot going for it starting with dimensions approaching US-style pick-ups like Ford’s F-150, a whopping 300kW/750Nm claimed combined output from its ICE and plug-in electric motor powertrain and $67,990 driveaway price-tag.

The handsome and weighty beast (2800kg+) is 5445mm long, 1991mm wide, 1924mm tall, and 3350mm in wheelbase, and offers 800mm wading depth, 28.5-degree approach angle, 23.0-degree departure angle, and a turning circle of 13.9 metres.

Other tempters are a claimed 115km EV-only range (NEDC), V2L functionality and a towing capacity of 3500kg braked but disappointingly only 685kg payload. It runs GWM’s Hi4T Plug-in Hybrid EV technology through a 37.1kWh ternary lithium battery and is capable of a claimed 880km range all told.

GWM says the Hi4T technology allows for the engine to remain in EV mode in 4x4 high range mode, in addition to supporting EV-only driving at highway speeds, a feature which is currently not offered in the segment.

It supports DC fast charging of up to 50kW, enabling a rapid 30-80 per cent charge in 26 minutes. With an AC home charger, the battery recharges from near empty to full in approximately 6.5 hours.

Vehicle-to-load (V2L) capabilities of 3.3kW max output is included and enables the vehicle to deliver AC power to devices and appliances, resulting in an “off-the-grid” option for camping etc.

The PHEV ute has been available since early this year and will help GWM comply with the NVES impost, but it has further incentivised the model to stir up interest with private, fleet and ABN buyers with discounts and charging appliances thrown in at various times.

Moving the not insignificant bulk is a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and powerful integrated electric motor driving all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission.

It rides on all-coil suspension with double wishbones up front and a multi-link rear. Braking is via four-wheel discs and traction is enhanced through standard fit locking front, rear and centre differentials (Ultra).

Standard kit on the base Cannon Alpha includes 18-inch alloy wheels, dusk-sensing LED headlights with auto high beam, LED daytime running and fog lights, keyless entry and ignition, rain-sensing wipers, rear privacy glass, a spray-in tub liner, faux-leather upholstery, powered front seat adjustment, and dual-zone climate control.

Infotainment and connectivity equipment includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 14.6-inch infotainment array, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto mirroring, Bluetooth connectivity, voice control, six-speaker sound, and connected vehicle telematics.

Safety is covered off with seven airbags, 360-degree camera technology, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, collision mitigation, driver fatigue monitoring, hill ascent and descent control, rear parking sensors, traffic sign recognition, trailer sway mitigations, and tyre pressure monitoring.

On top of that, the Cannon Alpha Ultra PHEV tested scores incremental inclusions such as a 60:40 split-fold tailgate, rear sliding window, LED cornering lights, a panoramic sunroof, leather-accented upholstery, front seat heating, massage and ventilation, a heated steering wheel, electric reclining rear seats, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and 64-colour LED ambient cabin lighting system.

Additionally, we note a 10-speaker Infinity audio system, front and rear wireless device charging pad, head-up display, and both auto parking and auto reversing assistants.

As with all GWM products, the model is backed by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with included roadside assistance and capped-price servicing.

Driving Impressions

We had a good crack at the Cannon Alpha Ultra PHEV on sealed and unsealed roads, towing, bush bashing and sand driving and on balance, the big Chinese ute made a decent fist of all applications. But not once did we plug it in….

There plenty of poke from the powertrain capably harnessed by its nine-speed conventional automatic transmission, however the drive experience is compromised by an irritating transmission backlash clunk on and off throttle. Clunk, clunk, clunk it goes in heavy traffic which becomes tedious and is amplified when towing and off-road. We chose to ignore it but that may not be the case if you owned one…

Though performance is strong for a big ute it’s not as strong as expected as the edge is taken off by the Cannon Alpha’s porkiness which would be horribly close to 3000kg with only a driver aboard due to the battery underneath.

Overcoming that much inertia is going to devour bulk power and torque … and dent fuel economy which is the case here as the Cannon Alpha consumes around 10.7 litres per 100km in mixed driving jumping to the high teens towing a 2000kg car trailer.

Working hard in the sand also sees the fuel gauge drop relatively quickly but on the upside is relaxed fairly economical cruising unladen on the freeway. The powertrain is quiet most of the time, smooth and flexible with minimal perception of gear changes from the nine-speed auto.

The model’s double wishbone front and multi-link all coil suspension shows its prowess in ride quality, bump absorption, wheel articulation and general drive feel despite the load limiting factor of rear coils. It can be a touch bouncy in some circumstances and the turning circle could be tighter.

Off-road performance is pretty good for such a large vehicle with no problems encountered on our regular 10km bush track apart from tree branch proximity and tyre grip in slushy conditions.

On the beach, the Cannon Alpha howls as its engine revs up to push it through the soft stuff but we had no complaints with suspension or traction thanks to the three locking diffs, power or ground clearance as long as the tyres are down around 14psi.

Though being only rated at 685kg payload, the CA sits pretty level with a trailer hooked up behind and the vehicle itself makes light work of towing. That may not be the case with a full 3500kg aft.

Load carrying capacity rates as OK because the tray is small for the size of the vehicle and is further compromised by a large full-size spare occupying a slice of space in the tray and… what gives with the fiddly barn door tailgate?

Of particular goodness is the Cannon Alpha’s available 100kms of EV-only driving should the owner be in a position to drive it and recharge (at work?) as an EV.

The interior is roomy, well-appointed and looks good dominated by a large centre screen with multiple menus and once again with plenty of gimmicky features to entertain those short of attention including massage seats, heated wheel and sliding rear window.

A spray of analogue buttons is positioned variously on the dash and ‘wheel while the T-bar toggle gear selector is tactile but somewhat tardy to hook up a gear.

As expected, we found every aspect of the Cannon Alpha’s ADAS to be intrusive and detrimental to the drive experience… and ironically, safety. 

But for the money, you get a lot of truck in the Cannon Alpha PHEV with plenty of power and features, imposing looks and GWM is in the process of localising its model range which will no doubt bear fruit on vehicles such as this.