Having won over Australian buyers, BYD will now look to build a flagship version of the Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute to conquer the road less travelled.
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BYD Australia has revealed it not only has plans to bulk out the single-variant Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute line-up, but also a new hero variant to take the fight to bush-bashing pick-ups.
Speaking to Drive, BYD Australia Head of Product Said Hasan said work is already underway to spin-off more Shark 6 offerings above and below the current car that launched late last year.
“Cab-chassis is definitely in the plans, and offerings that are more tailored to suit fleets and heavy-duty workhorse usage, and more off-road inclined usage,” Hasan said.
“Every direction you can think of, we’re working on it.”
The Shark 6 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is already one of the most potent dual-cab ute in its one-tonne-size class, pumping out 321kW/650Nm from its 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and dual-electric motor setup.
It outmuscles the 292kW/583Nm Ranger Raptor, 140kW/450Nm D-Max Blade, 140kW/450Nm Premcar-fettled Navara Warrior, 165kW/550Nm HiLux GR Sport, which means the hero variant is likely to focus on capability rather than performance.
And with arch-rival GWM conquering the infamous and treacherous Beer O’Clock Hill climb in the Cannon Alpha PHEV on all-terrain tyres, a feat the Shark 6 could not manage in the hands of Savage Tech Australia, BYD is likely looking to even the score.
Expect then to see a smattering of enhancements designed to boost the Shark 6’s off-road capabilities, such as a lifted suspension kit, new wheels and tyres, extra underbody protection, a winch, light bars, and a sports bar that will also significantly enhance the Shark 6's appearance.
This would mirror the changes Premcar adds to the Navara Pro-4X to create the Warrior variant, which is now par for the course in creating a factory-backed rugged ute.
However, BYD will also bring to market more affordable versions of the Shark 6, which currently starts from $57,990 before on-road costs in a bid to lure the lucrative fleet market away from HiLuxes and Rangers.
“For us to be able to provide more electrification to the Australian market, we need to do that through a bigger line-up, and the Shark 6 is such a critical model for the Australian market and [there is] huge untapped opportunity in the fleet space that we haven’t even really broached yet,” Hasan said.
With the Shark 6 achieving a maximum five-star safety rating in ANCAP testing earlier this year – a requirement for many business buyers – fleets now have the green light to deploy the BYD ute across various industries.
A cab-chassis version of the Shark 6 would be a natural fit for fleets that may require unique body work, but it is unclear if this version will deviate from the current car’s outputs and 29.6kWh battery capacity – the latter rated to enable 100km of all-electric driving range and 840km combined range.
While Hasan would not be drawn on when Australia would see these new Shark 6 variants, he said the Chinese BYD brand would not be happy until a wide variety of utes were made available.
“We acknowledge the line-up needs to grow, and that’s something that we are actively working on,” Hasan said.
“You can bank on that.”
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Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.
