Tank 300 Goes Hybrid: Great Wall's Off-Road Icon Gets LiDAR and Two Electrified Powertrains

The Tank 300 has been one of China’s most recognizable off-road vehicles since it launched in 2020 — a boxy, Jeep-like SUV that carved out its own identity in a market dominated by crossovers. Now it’s getting a generational update, and Great Wall Motor is betting hard on electrification.

Great Wall released official images of the all-new Tank 300 on Wednesday, ahead of a pre-sale launch scheduled for July 6. The redesign brings more than just a refreshed look.

The new generation is noticeably larger. It measures 4,886 mm long, 1,984 mm wide, and 1,927 mm tall with a 3,010 mm wheelbase — up significantly from the outgoing model. The roof-mounted LiDAR unit is the most conspicuous addition, confirming that this generation will pack upgraded driver assistance capabilities, likely including highway and urban navigation-assisted driving.

The real story, though, is what sits under the hood. Great Wall is dropping the purely combustion-powered drivetrain and offering the Tank 300 with two hybrid options: Hi4-T and Hi4-Z.

Both variants share a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine (1,998 cc displacement, 185 kW) paired with SVOLT ternary lithium batteries. But they serve different purposes. The Hi4-T is a plug-in hybrid with a longitudinal layout tuned for off-road torque delivery, designed for drivers who actually take their SUV onto trails. The Hi4-Z uses a different hybrid architecture that prioritizes on-road performance and efficiency.

It’s a calculated bet. The original Tank 300 built a loyal following among Chinese off-road enthusiasts who wanted something less expensive than a Jeep Wrangler or a Land Rover Defender but just as capable. Adding hybrid powertrains means existing owners can upgrade to something more powerful and efficient without sacrificing the go-anywhere character that made the nameplate popular.

The LiDAR sensor hints at ambitions beyond basic lane keeping. In China’s auto market, navigation-assisted driving on highways has become standard equipment for vehicles in this price bracket, and some automakers are already pushing into urban-level autonomy. Combining serious off-road capability with advanced driver assistance is still rare — most rugged SUVs treat ADAS as an afterthought. That gap could give the new Tank 300 a genuine competitive advantage.

Pre-sales open July 6. Great Wall hasn’t announced pricing yet, but the current generation starts around ¥200,000 (about $27,500). The hybrid versions will command a premium. Whether Chinese buyers will pay extra for an electrified off-roader with a LiDAR pod on the roof is the open question — but for a segment that’s long been defined by diesel fumes and manual transmissions, the direction is unmistakable.