Words: Andrew Sluys
Published 3 July 2026
GWM New Zealand has announced plans to launch eight new models locally in the next six months as part of a new product expansion.
The expansion is an integral part of GWM New Zealand’s plan to become one of the top five best-selling brands by 2027.
According to the Chinese brand, spreading its portfolio across every powertrain type and major vehicle segment is how they’ll get there.
Andrew Gao, Managing Director of GWM Australia and New Zealand said “the ANZ region is now one of GWM Group’s top three strategic international markets. As such, we’ll continue investing our best products, technologies and resources into the region. We’re only at the beginning of our journey in New Zealand and we truly believe the best is yet to come.”
“No single technology wins every customer, and no single customer needs every technology,” said Cameron Thomas, Country Manager for GWM New Zealand.
“Our role is to give customers the freedom to choose the solution that best fits their lives, whether that’s petrol, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric. We’re not building a strategy around the business we have today. We’re building a strategy around the business we are becoming.”
Looking ahead, GWM New Zealand has shared its plans for expansion through the remainder of 2026.
It starts with the Ora 5 EV, which recently launched, and then the Cannon Hi4-T Plug-in Hybrid Ute, which lands in September.
The Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 will get a new 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine, which has been tested across Australian and New Zealand conditions.
The Haval H7 will also land before the end of the year, offering both hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
And finally, the Haval Jolion Max will be launched with plug-in hybrid and pure electric power.
With all this in mind, GWM New Zealand hopes to achieve one of the broadest portfolios of any brand locally.
