Jetour T2 Lightning i-DM 4×4 Philippines: 600 hp PHEV with 700 mm Wading Depth

Jetour Philippines just dropped a flag in the plug-in hybrid SUV game. The new T2 Lightning i-DM 4×4 brings 600 horsepower, four-wheel drive, and a 43.23 kWh LFP battery to a segment that has been crying out for exactly this kind of hardware — and it does it at P2,688,000.

If you have been watching the local PHEV space, you know the options are multiplying fast. Geely’s Monjaro EM-i is on its way, the Mazda CX-80 PHEV is already here, and the BYD Sealion 6 DM-i continues to set the value bar. But the T2 Lightning i-DM 4×4 arrives with something none of those offer: a genuine 4×4 system with 200 mm of ground clearance, 700 mm wading depth, and a rear electronic locking differential. That is a serious off-road resume for a vehicle that still has to face EDSA every Monday.

What the 4×4 Adds to the T2 Lightning i-DM

The original T2 Lightning i-DM, which arrived in 2025 as a front-drive PHEV, already made waves with its boxy Land Rover-meets-Jimny styling and a combined 375 hp from its 1.5-liter turbo engine and dual motors. The 4×4 version keeps the same basic layout but adds a third motor at the rear axle, pushing total system output to 600 hp and 915 Nm of torque. Zero to 100 km/h takes just 5.5 seconds — quick for any SUV, let alone one that can wade through 700 mm of floodwater.

The battery grows from 26.7 kWh to 43.23 kWh, extending the electric-only range from 139 km to 160 km on the NEDC cycle. Combined range stretches past 1,200 km with a full tank of gas and a full charge. The 3-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission now drives all four wheels, and the system adds eight drive modes including a snow mode and a tank turn function that brakes the inner wheels while the outer wheels drive forward to shrink the turning circle.

Underbody protection covers the front cabin, battery bottom, rear fuel tank, and battery sides — the kind of armor that gives you confidence when the road turns to river and you are not sure how deep it is. A wading sensing system warns you when you are approaching the limit.

Specifications at a Glance

Pricing and Value

The T2 Lightning i-DM 4×4 stickers at P2,688,000 — about P200,000 more than the front-drive Standard variant. At current exchange rates (roughly 63 pesos to the dollar and 95 rupees to the dollar), that translates to approximately $42,600 USD or about Rs 40.6 lakh INR.

Stack it against the competition and the value equation gets interesting. The Geely Monjaro EM-i is expected to land under P2 million with 416 PS and 130 km of electric range. The Mazda CX-80 PHEV offers three-row seating but at a higher price point. The BYD Sealion 6 DM-i undercuts everyone at around P1.55 million but is a front-drive crossover without the T2’s off-road hardware.

What the T2 4×4 offers is genuine capability that none of those rivals can match at this price. The GAC GN8 PHEV costs P3.338 million and does not have a 4×4 system. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, while a proven nameplate, starts at a similar price and cannot match the T2’s wading depth or approach angles.

Philippine Driving Realities

City Driving

At 4,785 mm long and over 2,000 mm wide, the T2 is not a small vehicle. Parking in Makati or BGC will demand attention, especially with the 20-inch alloys. But the 160 km electric range means most Metro Manila commutes can be done entirely on battery power — a huge advantage when fuel prices are what they are. The instant torque from the electric motors makes merging into EDSA traffic and climbing flyovers feel effortless.

Long-Distance Travel

With a combined range north of 1,200 km, the T2 4×4 is built for provincial trips. Manila to Baguio (about 250 km) is comfortably within a single charge and a fraction of a tank. Even longer hauls like Manila to Cebu (if you are ferrying) or down to Davao become feasible without the anxiety that plagues pure EVs. The 3-speed DHT keeps the engine in its happy zone on highways, and the adaptive cruise control takes the edge out of NLEX and SCTEX drives.

Flooding

This is where the T2 4×4 earns its keep. The 200 mm ground clearance puts it well above most crossovers on the market. The 700 mm wading depth — with a wading sensing system to boot — means you can confidently navigate flooded streets that would swallow a sedan or a low-slung EV. The underbody protection covers the battery and fuel tank, which are the vulnerable points in any flood situation. That said, 700 mm is not a license to swim. If the water is above your knees, think twice — the sensing system will warn you, but physics always wins.

Heat

The LFP battery chemistry is inherently more thermally stable than the NMC packs found in many other EVs. LFP handles the 36-38°C Philippine heat better and is less prone to thermal runaway. The T2’s hybrid system also means you are not solely dependent on the battery for propulsion — if the thermal management system has to work overtime on a scorching day, the engine can share the load in a way that a pure EV cannot.

What Others Are Saying

Top Gear Philippines reviewed the front-drive T2 Lightning i-DM earlier this year and came away impressed with its styling, feature set, and real-world efficiency — they recorded around 17.5 km/L in mixed driving. The boxy design with chunky all-terrain tires and pops of neon green turns heads, and the 5-star ASEAN NCAP rating (86.5/100) confirms it is safe, not just striking.

The 4×4 variant is too new for independent reviews, but the hardware speaks for itself. No other PHEV SUV at this price point offers this level of off-road capability. The tank turn function alone is a party trick that might actually prove useful in tight provincial roads or crowded parking lots.

The Bottom Line

The Jetour T2 Lightning i-DM 4×4 is not trying to be everything to everyone. It is a rugged, boxy, 600-horsepower plug-in hybrid that can wade through floods, climb steep slopes, and still do your weekly grocery run on electric power alone. At P2,688,000, it undercuts every genuine 4×4 PHEV in the market by a wide margin.

If you want a pure electric compact SUV, the Kia EV3 that just launched might be more your speed — it is cheaper, simpler, and more efficient for city use. But if you want a single vehicle that can do everything from EDSA rush hour to a Batangas weekend trail, the T2 Lightning i-DM 4×4 is the most interesting PHEV to land in the Philippines this year. Jetour is not just competing anymore. It is throwing down a gauntlet.