GAC Yue 7 PHEV: Boxy Denza B5 Rival With Up to 188 km EV Range Could Land in Australia

Image credit: GAC

Chinese brand GAC is shaping up to launch a boxy plug-in hybrid SUV in Australia with claimed electric-only range that nearly doubles what the Denza B5 offers. Called the Yue 7 in China where it sells under GAC's Trumpchi sub-brand, the rugged-looking SUV could land in Australia as the GAC T75 (its internal model code) some time after its Beijing debut.

GAC Australia hasn't officially confirmed the Yue 7 for our market, but it included the model in a recent local press release alongside other potential additions to the brand's Australian lineup. Given GAC's stated plan to grow from three models today to eight by 2029, a Land Rover Defender / Denza B5-shaped off-roader with usable PHEV electric range is a strong fit.

Government filings reveal the powertrain

The Yue 7 made its public debut at the Auto China 2026 show in Beijing in April. Official specs weren't released at the time, but Chinese government type-approval filings have now surfaced online (shared by automotive analyst Tycho de Feijter on X). Those filings give us the first verified look at how the Yue 7 is propelled.

At the heart of the system is a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine making 125 kW, paired with two electric motors driving all four wheels. Combined system output hasn't been disclosed yet, but with the petrol engine alone producing 125 kW and electric motors typically adding 70-150 kW per axle in this class, total output should sit comfortably above 250 kW.

The electric motors are fed by a CATL battery offered in two sizes: a 28.3 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) pack or a larger 45 kWh NMC version. Claimed electric-only range is 116 km for the smaller battery and 188 km for the larger one. Worth noting that the filings don't specify whether those numbers are WLTP or the more generous CLTC cycle used in China; expect the WLTP-equivalent figures to be 15-25% lower.

Image credit: GAC

How it stacks up against the Denza B5

The Denza B5 is the most direct rival, and the Yue 7 looks meaningfully larger and more capable on the spec sheet:

Even allowing for the WLTP-vs-CLTC question mark, the Yue 7's 45 kWh battery option claims roughly double the Denza B5's WLTP electric range. A 30/33 degree approach/departure pairing is also slightly better than the B5 for going down obstacles. Wheelbase is 100 mm longer, which helps stability on the highway and rear legroom but is a small disadvantage in tight off-road switchbacks.

A genuine LandCruiser 300-size body

Here's the surprise. At 4,999 mm long the Yue 7 is just 9 mm shorter than the entry-level Toyota LandCruiser 300 GX. It's wider (2,004 mm vs the LC300's roughly 1,980 mm) and slightly lower (1,933 mm vs ~1,950 mm). Those numbers position the Yue 7 squarely in serious off-road SUV territory, not the smaller compact-SUV bracket the Denza B5 actually sits closer to.

Of course, dimensions alone don't decide off-road capability. The Yue 7 runs GAC's GMC Thunder 3.0 platform (also marketed as "Stellar Power") which the filings describe as a "digital chassis" purpose-built for PHEV duty. We'll need driveline detail (low-range transfer case, locking differentials, suspension travel) before judging how it stacks up against a body-on-frame LC300 in the rough stuff.

Image credit: GAC / Auto China 2026

Where it fits in GAC Australia's plans

GAC launched in Australia in late 2025 with three models: the petrol Emzoom small SUV (from $25,590 RRP), the all-electric Aion UT hatch and Aion V mid-size SUV, and the plug-in hybrid M8 PHEV people mover. All four are sold under the single GAC brand here, even though in China they're split across Trumpchi (Yue 7's parent), Aion (the EV brand) and Hyptec (the premium brand).

The Yue 7 is a separate model to the GAC S7 plug-in hybrid SUV, which was shown at the brand's Sydney launch event last year as a Toyota Kluger rival. The S7 is closer to a soft-roader family SUV; the Yue 7 is the more rugged, off-road-focused product.

GAC has also confirmed a Ford Ranger-rivalling dual-cab ute for Australia as soon as 2027, so the Yue 7 PHEV could slot in alongside that ute in a hardware-heavy expansion of the brand's local lineup.

Our take

The Yue 7's biggest claim is that 188 km EV-only range from the larger battery option. If that's WLTP-equivalent it would be the longest electric range of any PHEV SUV sold in Australia by a wide margin. If it's CLTC, the WLTP figure is probably more like 140-150 km, still well clear of the Denza B5's 90 km. Either way it's a meaningful step forward for plug-in hybrid off-roaders.

The remaining questions are pricing (Chinese-domestic Yue 7 pricing hasn't been published yet) and combined system output (we know the petrol engine but not the electric motors). Both will likely emerge in the coming weeks as Chinese sales begin. For now, file this one under "watch this space" if you're shopping the Denza B5 or considering a PHEV alternative to a LandCruiser 300.

See also: 9 New Chinese Car Brands Coming to Australia | Denza Z9GT Confirmed for Australia | Best Hybrid Cars in Australia 2026.