BYD Shark 8 coming

The BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute has changed the way people think about the humble hay hauler, and now BYD is set to unleash an even bigger, tougher and more powerful pick-up truck to take on the Chevy Silverado and its ilk.

The Chinese brand’s local importer confirmed a significantly larger – than the Shark 6 – pick-up truck is on the agenda and will “100 per cent” be a starter in Australia, where it will lock horns with the Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra, Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500.

“Certainly our plans are to get into that [full-size ute segment],” EV Direct CEO David Smitherman told carsales.

“I can't tell you when or what have you, but certainly if I'm looking at the segmentation of what works in the marketplace, I reckon it would absolutely work – it's on the agenda.”

Where the sub-$60,000 BYD Shark 6 measures 5.45 metres long, the Shark 8 will likely be around 6.0 metres from bumper to bumper, similar to the Ford F-150 and should be capable of towing around 4000kg.

It’s understood the big rig is still a few years away but given BYD has more than 100,000 in-house engineers – and its research and development corps has proven it can construct popular products in a relatively short time – the Chinese chariot could arrive sooner rather than later.

“If I look at the Shark 6 I’d call it a mid-size pick-up, so I’d say it’s a full-size truck. It’s not going happen this year but we’re certainly pushing for it,” Smitherman said.

The Shark 6’s big bro doesn’t officially have a name yet – Shark 8 is merely an early guess on our behalf – and the news of its development is likely to send shivers up the spines of established full-sized US pick-up truck brands.

High tariffs placed on electrified Chinese vehicle imports in the United States means it’s unlikely to be exported there any time soon, but it will compete against them in Australia – where it’s almost certain to be considerably cheaper.

What powers the new BYD Shark 8 is not yet known, but it’s highly likely to get a similar range-extender setup to the Shark 6, with a turbo-petrol engine and two e-motors that draw energy from a lithium-ion battery pack.

Asked if BYD’s Silverado-slaying pick-up truck would be a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) like the Shark 6, EVDirect’s CEO responded: “Potentially. It’s a big vehicle. I don’t know the answer. But I would say so, yes.”

BYD could shoehorn the Yangwang U8 luxury SUV’s hybrid powertrain into the new ute, an arrangement that has a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and four e-motors hooked up to a 49kWh battery.

It cranks out a very impressive 880kW.

Smitherman said the China-built Ram 1500 rival would have huge appeal in Australia, a market that has already anchored BYD as a brand to watch.

“I think Aussies like to have big pickup trucks and I’ve got no doubt it will work.”

“I come from that [big US pick-up truck] background, previously working for American truck brands and absolutely I reckon it would work – 100 per cent.”

Popular full-size US pick-up trucks sold in Australia are built in the Americas, shipped Down Under and converted to right-hand-drive locally – an expensive endeavour that puts most of their prices between $110,000 and $200,000.

Because the BYD Shark 8 would be built in China and will come from the factory in right-hand drive (meaning no extra engineering or re-manufacturing) it would potentially be a significantly cheaper proposition – almost certainly slotting in under $100,000.

The big question will be whether it can tow 4500kg like the established full-size US pick-up trucks.

Watch this space.

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