PETALING JAYA: The JAC automotive brand has officially landed in Malaysia with the preview of a range of its upcoming vehicles.
The China-based brand intends to provide a lineup of commercial vehicles and premium pick-up trucks in turbodiesel and electric vehicle (EV) guises.
The T9 has been earmarked for an official introduction in the country in January next year, which coincides with deliveries to early adopters.
An introductory price of about RM120,000 is offered for the T9 Diesel 2.0 CTI 4x4 unit and about RM200,000 for the T9 BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) 4x4 version.
(From left) Businessman Go Yoong Chang; JAC Motors Group vice-president David Zhang; Tengku Zafrul; China's Embassy in Malaysia representative Soon Sue Chiang, Xia and Lau with the T9 electric pick-up truck variant.
The prices are promotional for the first 300 (diesel) and 100 (BEV) customers who book a unit before Dec 31.
For peace of mind, the double-cab diesel pick-up truck gets a five-year unlimited mileage warranty while the BEV variant receives a six-year or 200,000km (whichever comes first) coverage.
JAC Auto Malaysia is the local distributor of JAC commercial vehicles while Evolvelectric Motors Sdn Bhd is the distributor JAC pick-up trucks.
While having a wheelbase of 3,110mm, the T9 is 5,330mm in length, 1,965mm in width and 1,920mm in height while rolling on 18-inch wheels with 265/60 series tyres and disc brakes all-round.
This gives the 2,055kg (kerb) T9 a ground clearance of 210mm while having a 27-degree approach angle and a 23-degree departure angle.
Wading depth is said to be at 800mm and it has the ability to take up to a 1,000kg payload.
The 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine delivers 170hp and 410Nm of torque while having three driving modes of Eco, Normal and Sport.
Managing power to a part-time 4x4 drive system is an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Among the standard inclusions are roof rails, side steps, roll bar, shark fin antenna, power lockable tailgate, rain-sensing wipers, powered sunroof with anti-pinch function and chrome finishing for the external mirror caps as well as door handles.
There are also LEDs for the front automatic headlights with follow-me-home function, sequential turn signals, daytime running lights and rear light clusters.
Inside, the cabin features a 7.0-inch colour instrument cluster ahead of the leather-wrapped two-spoke multi-function steering wheel and a 10.4-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that powers the six-speaker sound system.
Also included are an electro-chromatic rearview mirror, 360-degree camera system, 64-colour ambient lighting system, 50W wireless charger, rear air vents, Type A and Type-C USB ports and a 220V two-pin power outlet.
Adding to the list are keyless-entry with push-start button, single-zone climate controls, six-way power-adjustability for the driver and front passenger as well as a centre armrest with cooler box function,
For safety, the T9 has been accorded a five-star rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP).
The diesel variant comes fitted with seven airbags, electronic stability control, tyre pressure monitoring system, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition system and forward collision warning.
Level 2 Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) has also been dialled in, such as autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot detection, driver monitoring system and intelligent high beam control.
As for the EV version of the T9, it comes fitted with a blue JMC logo on its front grille for visual differentiation while having a lower ground clearance of 205mm. Additionally, the drive selector is now a dial.
It uses an 88kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery by CATL which can be recharged from 15% to 100% via a slower 11kW AC in six hours and 50 minutes.
A faster 88kW DC charger can bring the battery's State of Charge (SoC) from 30% to 80% in 35 minutes.
The battery powers two electric motors, one for each axle, with the front getting a dedicated 70kW motor while the rear uses a 160kW motor.
With 510Nm of peak torque at the ready, the T9 BEV is said to consume 29.3kWh per 100km on the combined cycle with up to 340km of range.
It promises a 0-100kph sprint in 8.4 seconds before reaching a top speed of 140kph.
During the brand launch, JAC also featured some of their light commercial EVs including the i40 EV, i75 EV, and i90 EV models.
At the event, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz praised JAC Motors' expansion into Malaysia that supported the country's push towards green mobility.
Aside from its EV line-up, JAC also offers Euro IV-compliant diesel truck models such as the N50 and N80, while the N120 is Euro V compliant.
“Our light commercial EV lineup and the T9 pick-up series reflect our dedication to innovation, safety, and performance," said JAC Auto Malaysia managing director Henry Xia.
Evolvelectric Motors CEO Lau Yit Mun said the JAC T8 all-electric pick-up truck and the T9 petrol plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) pick-up truck would be introduced next year to expand the offerings.
For more information, visit evolvelectricmotors.com.
