BYD Shark confirmed as Chinese brand’s Ford Ranger ute fighter

After plenty of high-profile leaks and carsales’ uncovering of the ‘Shark’ nameplate in Australian patent applications, ambitious Chinese car-maker BYD has confirmed that its all-new dual-cab 4x4 ute – the 2024 BYD Shark – will premiere at the Beijing motor show on April 25.

Officially confirming the nameplate and the ute’s ANZAC Day unveiling date, BYD has also released a shadowy teaser image overnight – although we’ve already seen it uncovered in the latest spy images.

Australia is a key export market for the ute, which is already undergoing testing here, however an on-sale date for the Shark has yet to be announced.

A rival for the top-selling Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, not to mention a swag of other dual-cab 4x4 utes, the BYD Shark will have a key point of differentiation under the bonnet, relying on a plug-in hybrid petrol-electric powertrain rather than a turbo-diesel engine.

The Shark was developed alongside the Ford Everest-rivalling Bao 5 large SUV – from the stable of BYD-owned luxury brand Fang Cheng Bao – and is built on an all-new DMO ladder-frame platform that was specifically designed for the car-maker’s plug-in hybrid tech and packages its high-tech Blade battery pack between the rails.

The platform is also said to endow the BYD Shark with advanced off-road capability. According to BYD, the use of electric motors to drive the wheels means that torque shuffling from front to rear and torque vectoring across the axle are up to 30 times quicker than equivalent mechanical all-wheel drive systems.

According to early intel, BYD will offer the Shark with either a 1.5-litre turbo or 2.0-litre turbo engine that will be mounted longitudinally. Both are compatible with its Xiaoyun plug-in hybrid system that packages an 18.3kWh battery and could provide for an all-electric driving range of up to 100km.

Maximum power for the smaller engine is 143kW, while the larger 2.0-litre turbo kicks out around 245kW. Fuel economy is quoted at 7.8L/100km, while total driving range of up to 1200km is anticipated.

High-series models are tipped to feature a powertrain that incorporates dual electric motors, raising total power to a Ranger Raptor-beating 365kW.

The ute will also have vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability.

The BYD Shark shares the Bao 5’s cockpit, headlined by a 15.6-inch rotating infotainment screen and a large digital instrument panel ahead of the driver.

Dual gloveboxes and chunky controls also feature, while top-spec models get leather upholstery (with red stitching) and lots of bling.

Entering one of the biggest market segments in Australia – second only to mid-size SUVs – the Shark will be a key element in BYD’s quest to become a top-three car-maker in the space of just two years, aiming to sell more than 100,000 cars a year across the brand by 2026.

That’s up from 12,500 last year.

Stay tuned as full details of the BYD Shark should be released on April 25.

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