Nissan Navara Pro PHEV confirmed for Australia with 300kW and one-tonne payload target

Key takeaways

• Due in 2027, with pricing, battery size and EV range still unconfirmed
• Australian 2.0-litre turbo PHEV makes a preliminary 300kW and 800Nm
• Targets up to 1000kg payload and 3500kg braked towing capacity

Nissan has confirmed the Navara Pro PHEV for Australia with the plug-in hybrid dual-cab due in local showrooms in 2027. It will be Nissan Australia's first plug-in hybrid and the brand's first electrified ute anywhere in the world.

Australia and New Zealand will be the first right-hand-drive markets to get it. The ute is already sold in China as the Frontier Pro, but the local version runs a different engine and has been tuned for Australian conditions.

Nissan calls it the sixth-generation Navara, making it a new vehicle rather than a plug-in version of the diesel Nissan Navara sold here today.

Bigger engine for the Australian Navara Pro PHEV

The Frontier Pro uses a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol plug-in system in China. Nissan Australia tested it against a new 2.0-litre turbo-petrol setup and chose the larger engine, citing towing, payload and sustained performance under load.

The 2.0-litre pairs with an electric motor built into an eight-speed automatic, producing a preliminary 300kW and 800Nm. The geared transmission gives the Navara Pro a low-range crawl for off-road driving and low revs on the highway.

The BYD Shark 6 takes a different approach, using separate front and rear electric motors with no mechanical link between the axles.

Hardware includes a mechanical 4x4 system and differential locks. Nissan has tested front, rear and combined locker setups locally, along with both leaf-spring and multi-link coil rear suspension. Final configurations will be confirmed closer to launch.

Five prototypes have covered more than 20,000km in Australia since 2025 with testing continuing.

"Australia wasn't simply where we tested Navara Pro PHEV. It was one of the markets helping shape it," said Nissan Oceania managing director Steve Milette.

Payload and towing

Nissan is targeting up to 1000kg of payload and 3500kg braked towing, both subject to homologation. That would put it level with diesel dual-cabs such as the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger, and ahead of the Shark 6 and GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV, which both carry less than 800kg.

Claimed figures can move once final masses are published. The Chery Stockman was promoted with a one-tonne payload that landed at 765kg. Nissan hasn't revealed the Navara Pro's battery size, and the rear suspension choice will also affect the final number. The Chinese Frontier Pro uses a 33kWh battery.

Inside, available features include a large touchscreen, digital instrument cluster, panoramic sunroof and heated and ventilated front seats, depending on grade. Three LED strips above the grille reference the three-slot bonnet of the 1980s D21 Hardbody. Nissan's 10-year, 300,000km warranty applies when serviced through its dealers.

The Navara Pro needs to hit its targets. September VFACTS data shows Navara sales down 48.1% year to date at 3227, while the Shark 6 has found 13,586 buyers. Plug-in rivals start at $49,888 for the JAC Hunter PHEV, $57,900 for the Shark 6, $61,000 for the Ranger PHEV and $61,490 for the Cannon Alpha PHEV, all before on-roads.

Nissan Navara Pro PHEV preliminary specifications

Nissan will confirm pricing, battery size, EV-only range and final suspension and equipment details closer to the Navara Pro PHEV's 2027 arrival.