BYD’s first plug-in hybrid (PHEV) in Australia will go on sale in October, wearing a slightly different name.
First revealed as the BYD Shark, the Chinese carmaker has now renamed the PHEV ute to the Shark 6, adopting a similar name to the also-PHEV Sealion 6 SUV in Australia.
It’s possible the fully electric version of the ute, when it eventually comes to Australia, will be called the Shark 7, aligning it with the upcoming Sealion 7 electric SUV.
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EVDirect, BYD’s Australian distributor, says it’ll open orders for the Shark 6 on October 29 both online and through its dealership network, at which point local pricing will also be made available.
However, as first reported by CarExpert last month, figures published on a government website showed at least one variant of the PHEV dual-cab ute could be priced at $68,000 before on-road costs.
While this could still be adjusted ahead of its launch, the figure provides a rough guide as to how it’ll slot between its rivals.
At $68,000, it would be close to the mid-level Ford Ranger XLT 4×4 V6 ($68,840 before on-roads) and Toyota HiLux Rogue with V-Active Technology ($71,530 before on-roads).
EVDirect says it’ll also announce local specifications (including colour options) within the next few weeks, ahead of orders opening.
The Shark packs a plug-in hybrid drivetrain with a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, two electric motors, and a Blade battery pack.
The 320kW plug-in hybrid drivetrain includes a 170kW/310Nm electric motor at the front, and a 150kW/340Nm electric motor at the rear.
Fitted with a 30kWh battery pack, electric range is a claimed 100km on the lenient NEDC test cycle.
In contrast, Ford claims an electric-only driving range of 45km on the stricter WLTP test cycle for its Ranger PHEV, due here in 2025.
Claimed combined range from the Shark 6’s PHEV system is 850km, and fuel consumption as low as 1.5 litres per 100km is possible with a charged battery.
Figures from China say the Shark 6 is 5457mm is long, 1971mm wide and 1925mm tall, riding a 3260mm wheelbase.
Payload is 835kg, the rear tray has a capacity of 1450 litres, and the braked towing capacity is a claimed 2500kg.
The Shark 6 will not only face competition from the Ranger PHEV, but also GWM which is set to bring a Hi4-T PHEV version of its Cannon Alpha ute here.
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