After a lengthy teaser program, JAC Motors Australia has finally confirmed local pricing for its upcoming Hunter ute, which will launch in Australia in August. Prices start at $49,888 plus on-road costs, making it the most affordable plug-in hybrid ute on the market – but it’s also the most powerful and even outmuscles the Ford Ranger Raptor.

Based on the turbo-diesel T9 ute that launched locally in March 2024, the JAC Hunter features a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine combined with an electric motor on each axle. Combined outputs are 360kW of power and 1010Nm of torque, eclipsing the 350kW/700Nm BYD Shark 6 Performance, 300kW/750Nm GWM Cannon Alpha Hi4-T and 207kW/697Nm Ford Ranger PHEV.

Equipped with a 31.2 kWh lithium-ion battery, the claimed NEDC electric-only range for the Hunter is 100km (around the same as the Shark), its claimed overall range including hybrid power is over 1000km and it’s rated at 1.6L/100km for combined fuel consumption. The battery can be DC fast charged at up to 49.5kW, and 15-80 per cent charge takes around 30 minutes at that speed.

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Crucially for many ute buyers, the JAC Hunter is rated to tow the benchmark 3500kg braked trailer, and its payload is 915kg. As previously announced by JAC, the Hunter has been locally tuned for Australian conditions and underwent over 100,000km of testing prior to market introduction.

Standard features on the Pro include 18-inch alloy wheels, dusk-sensing automatic LED lighting, rain-sensing automatic wipers, electric driver’s seat adjustment, leather upholstery, automatic climate control with rear air vents, a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, a 10.4-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, eight-speaker audio, 64-colour ambient lighting and active safety features such as seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assistance, lane keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic braking and a reversing camera.

The top-spec Hunter X then adds black exterior styling details, front and rear differential locks, heated front seats, electric front passenger seat adjustment, front parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, auto-folding mirrors, rear privacy glass, roof rails and a rear 220V accessory socket.

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Registrations for interest for the Hunter are now open and the first 1,000 buyers can go a step further and reserve their Hunter today for a fully refundable $1000 deposit. The first 1000 customers to reserve and take delivery will also receive their choice of a free home EV charger or a $500 JAC Genuine Accessories voucher.

JAC Hunter pricing (excluding on-road costs):

Pro$49,888
X$54,844

Hunter buyers can also option front and rear differential locks on the Pro for an extra $1888, and an electric sunroof on the X for an extra $1500.

The JAC Hunter is available to reserve now, with vehicles starting to arrive at showrooms August 2026.