Great Wall Cannon Hi4-T Flying Operator: specs, power output and Chengdu debut date

© A. Krivonosov / SPEEDME

Great Wall did not enlarge the battery of the commercial Cannon Hi4-T for its new version aimed at drone operators: capacity stays at 33.1 kWh, same as the regular PHEV. Instead, engineers reworked how the truck handles power — the Flying Operator can supply up to 30 kW to external equipment and, according to the brand, charge two large drone batteries simultaneously in roughly 8–9 minutes.

Three new Great Wall Cannon Hi4-T variants are set to debut on August 21 at the Chengdu auto show. Besides the Flying Operator, the lineup includes the passenger-oriented Black Warrior with an all-black exterior and the touring-focused Light Travel with a built-in living module. Pricing for all three will be announced at the show.

The Flying Operator differs most sharply from the commercial Cannon PHEV already on sale. It gets DC fast charging rated at up to 110 kW, taking the battery from 30% to 80% in 18 minutes. A bidirectional mode is also available, letting the truck draw and supply power simultaneously at up to 27 kW. The fuel tank keeps its 75-liter capacity.

For comparison, the standard commercial Cannon PHEV already runs the same 33.1 kWh battery. Depending on drivetrain, the factory quotes 95–100 km of electric-only range under WLTC and 886–947 km of total range. The Hi4-T system pairs a 2.0-liter turbo engine with a 9-speed hybrid transmission; combined output reaches 310 kW, or roughly 422 hp, and 750 Nm of torque.

The Black Warrior takes a different approach. On top of a blacked-out grille, mirrors, door handles, fender flares and wheels, it adds a Sport mode, launch control, a “tank turn” maneuver and a slow off-road crawl mode. External power runs through two channels — 30 kW and 6 kW. The standard passenger Hi4-T currently tops out at 6 kW, making power supply one of the key technical differences of the new version.

The Light Travel, by contrast, barely tries to be a work tool. It gets an automated WILD LAND module with a two-tier layout: the lower section is for storage, while the upper level forms a sleeping area measuring roughly 3 x 1.45 meters, with nine windows and a slide-out platform.

The Cannon Hi4-T itself is not new: it was shown in spring as the next hybrid step for the Poer/Cannon family, and by summer China had received the production passenger and commercial versions. GWM’s official site currently lists the commercial PHEV from 149,800 yuan and the passenger Hi4-T from 176,800 yuan. Those figures are only a reference point — the special editions unveiled on August 21 could turn out considerably pricier.

For Great Wall, the real story here isn’t just another trio of trim levels — it’s splitting one hybrid pickup into three entirely different use cases: mobile power for professional equipment, hardcore off-roading, and camping. Pricing in Chengdu will show how expensive the automaker considers that kind of specialization.