GWM Malaysia confirms CKD plans for the ORA 5 HEV and HAVAL H7 Hi4 PHEV at GATE 2026

KUALA LUMPUR: GWM Malaysia has brought three cars to the Global Automotive and Technology Expo (GATE) 2026, and past the usual expo language about ecosystems and partnerships, there is one line in there that actually matters to Malaysian buyers. Two of those three cars are heading for local assembly.

The show runs from 26 to 28 August at MITEC in Kuala Lumpur and is organised by the Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii).

It is a trade and industry event rather than a consumer motor show, so the crowd is mostly suppliers, government agencies and technology partners instead of families climbing into third rows.

Also Read: GWM Malaysia renews Malayan Xpedition partnership, announces Merdeka campaign

The WEY G9 is doing the heavy lifting

The only GWM model on the stand that is already built here is the WEY G9 Hi4 PHEV. The luxury MPV went on sale in Malaysia in January at RM269,800 on the road without insurance, and it is assembled at EP Manufacturing's plant in Pegoh, Melaka.

The more interesting part is what happens after it leaves the line. GWM has been exporting the Malaysian-built G9 to Thailand, which means the country is not only a market for the brand but an export base for one model. That is a genuinely useful thing to point at when a Chinese brand is asked how serious it is about staying.

GWM also calls the G9 the No.1-selling luxury MPV among officially distributed OEM brands in Malaysia. It carves out the recon and grey import trade, which is where a big chunk of Alphard and Vellfire volume sits. 

Stan Li Hao, Managing Director, Commercial Operations, GWM Malaysia, said, "Over the past four years, we have built a stronger foundation for GWM in Malaysia, supported by growing customer acceptance and confidence in our products and technologies. As we enter our next phase of growth, Malaysia is becoming increasingly important not only as a market, but also as part of our wider ASEAN strategy.

"Through local assembly, regional opportunities and stronger partnerships, our focus is on creating sustainable, long-term growth while contributing to the development of Malaysia's automotive ecosystem."

ORA 5 HEV and HAVAL H7 Hi4 PHEV are next in line

The two cars parked next to it were both previewed at KLIMS in June, and GWM Malaysia has now put them down for local assembly.

The ORA 5 HEV is the compact one, and it is the first hybrid to wear the ORA badge here. It uses GWM's Hi2 system, a 1.5-litre turbo paired with a two-speed dedicated hybrid transmission and an electric motor, for a combined 223 PS and 476 Nm. GWM quotes 7.7 seconds to 100 km/h, fuel consumption of 4.4 litres per 100 km and over 1,100 km of range from a full tank and a fairly tiny 1.09 kWh battery.

It measures 4,471 mm long, 1,833 mm wide and 1,641 mm tall with a 2,720 mm wheelbase, so it lands in the same space Malaysian buyers are already shopping when they look at the Chery Tiggo Cross HEV or a Honda HR-V e:HEV. Full Malaysian specs and pricing have not been announced.

The HAVAL H7 Hi4 PHEV is the boxy one, and it is aimed squarely at the Jetour T2 crowd. A 1.5-litre turbo making 150 PS and 230 Nm works with two motors, 109 PS and 170 Nm at the front and 204 PS and 350 Nm at the rear, for a combined 370 PS and 750 Nm through a two-speed DHT.

A 27.54 kWh LFP battery gives it a usable electric commute before the engine wakes up, with a combined range GWM says goes past 1,000 km. It is 4,800 mm long, 1,950 mm wide and 1,843 mm tall on a 2,738 mm wheelbase, which makes it a size up from the Tank 300 that GWM already sells here.

The H7 on display is understood to be the same left-hand-drive preview unit shown at KLIMS, so it is not representative of what a CKD Malaysian car will look like inside. GWM Malaysia has previously indicated the ORA 5 HEV should arrive in the second half of this year, with the H7 Hi4 PHEV following early in 2027. No prices for either yet.

Roslan Abdullah, Chief Operating Officer, GWM Malaysia, said, "GATE is an important platform for the industry to exchange ideas, showcase capabilities and explore opportunities for collaboration. For GWM, our presence reflects both the progress we are making in Malaysia today and the possibilities we are exploring for tomorrow.

"With our current CKD model, two upcoming models planned for local assembly, and Malaysia serving as an export base for the WEY G9 to Thailand, we are strengthening our commitment to the local automotive and supplier ecosystem. At the same time, we hope to encourage greater dialogue with government, industry and technology partners on how new-energy technologies could support Malaysia's future mobility ambitions."

The hydrogen display is a conversation, not a plan

Alongside the cars, GWM is showing its Hi2 and Hi4 hybrid systems and hydrogen technology developed by FTXT, another company under the GWM Group.

Nothing has been announced for Malaysia, there is no hydrogen infrastructure here to speak of, and GWM itself frames it as an awareness and dialogue exercise rather than a product roadmap. It is a nice stand piece for an industry expo and not something to factor into a purchase decision in 2026.

GWM Malaysia delivered 3,166 vehicles in the first half of 2026, a 42.4% year-on-year increase that puts it among the country's top 11 brands, with the HAVAL H6 HEV and WEY G9 Hi4 PHEV carrying most of that volume.

The real test is whether local assembly pulls the ORA 5 HEV and HAVAL H7 Hi4 PHEV into a price bracket where they are cross-shopped rather than admired, because that is the point at which CKD stops being a press release word and starts moving cars.

For Malaysian buyers, the short version is this. One GWM model is assembled locally and exported to Thailand today, two more are lined up to follow, and the pricing that decides whether any of it lands is still to come.

GWM Malaysia has been fairly consistent about announcing before it prices, so the ORA 5 HEV launch in the next few months should tell us plenty.

Also Read: GWM ORA 5 HEV Previewed in Malaysia – 223 PS, 476 Nm, 4.4L/100 km, Over 1,100 km Range