BYD Shark 6 won’t go electric

Don’t expect an electric dual-cab ute from BYD anytime soon.

That’s the latest word from the brand’s high-ranking executives who have decreed the performance and driving range offered by plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology as the best option for the dual-cab segment right now.

That means a battery-electric version of the box-fresh 2024 BYD Shark 6 is off the cards for the foreseeable future, with BYD Asia Pacific Auto sales division Liu Xueliang ruling out such a product for the foreseeable future.

“Currently we haven’t considered a pure electric version yet because based on the performance, based on the range, we feel like currently PHEV is the best power model for the Shark 6,” Liu told local media via a translator.

“Because for us, we believe PHEV is equivalent to pure electric cars.”

But while it’s a never-say-never scenario, Liu held firm that a battery-electric Shark isn’t part of BYD’s immediate future.

“At least currently, we’re not considering it,” he said.

BYD Australia chief, David Smitherman, furthered the plot and said an electric Shark was in the works, but wouldn't offer an ETA.

“Not sure. It’s coming, but not sure,” he told carsales.

“At the moment, what we are looking to do is bring this vehicle to market and we’re gonna really see what happens. It’s probably a more natural progression for the ute market; they go from an ICE to a PHEV.

“We like keeping it simple.”

Smitherman said the brand’s website had crashed within a few hours of the BYD Shark 6’s pricing announcement and that more than 13,000 expressions of interest had been submitted in recent months.

While confident the electrified pick-up would sell well and likely become BYD Australia’s top seller, the local boss said it was hard to make estimates on exact sales numbers.

“It’s really hard to work out,” he said.

“I’m not sure. I think this will be our most successful vehicle. At the moment we have the Sealion 6, which sells about 1000 units per month, but our expectations are somewhere north of that.

“But it’s not easy. It’s a very competitive market and there’s a whole bunch of brands that have been in market for a very long time with great history and reputation.”

BYD is banking on the Shark 6 Premium’s sharp $57,900 (plus on-roads) starting price to help attract customers before its apparent refinement, performance and capability does the rest.

“Because it’s a PHEV, I think that’s really where it’s going to be quite a game changer. We’re disrupting the market, is the truth of it,” he said.

“If you look at the mainstays, the alternatives, there’s not a lot to choose from, so what we love about this vehicle is suddenly there’s a choice.

“We’re coming in here with a really high-spec vehicle that’s got all of the things Aussies want; it’s got lots of range, it’s got a battery and an engine, and I think it’s going to disrupt.”

If Smitherman is optimistic about BYD’s future in Oz, Liu is even more positive about the Shark’s local potential, saying the brand’s goal is for the Shark 6 to become the top-selling pick-up truck in Australia, and thereby the best-selling vehicle full stop.

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