“Full blown workhorse” versions of first BYD ute coming

Cab-chassis and other work-focussed variants of the 2024 BYD ute are expected to follow the high-end dual-cab models on sale in Australia.

BYD’s plug-in hybrid dual-cab 4x4 ute will launch here in late 2024 and it will be followed about a year later by a full battery-electric version.

The PHEV – or DM-i in BYD-speak – ute is currently under development in Australia by a team of former Ford and Holden engineers.

It is powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and two electric motors with a reported combined output of 364kW. The range is said to be 100km in pure-electric mode or 1000km combined.

Local BYD importer Luke Todd has promised its pricing will blow the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux market leaders “out of the water”.

And he has also confirmed there are more prosaic BYD work utes planned as part of the line-up, although he stopped short of confirming when they would be coming here.

While single-cab, cab-chassis and 4x2 utes are less sexy and less profitable than high-end 4x4 dual-cabs, they still play a key sales volume role, especially targeting fleets.

Toyota is the market leader in the 4x2 segment and has recently been showing off a single-cab electric HiLux to local fleet customers.

Todd said such workhorses were not planned for “the early stages” of the unnamed BYD ute’s Australian roll-out.

“But it will have the ability to do cab-chassis type,” he confirmed.

“It is definitely a workhorse. If it needs to be it can be a full-blown workhorse.

“But we are not going in at that bottom-end sector… we’re not bringing it in as a heavy-duty work vehicle. We are bringing it in as a desirable work and family ute.

“Then we’ll have some optionality,” he said, referencing the potential for workhorse variants to arrive later.

The BYD pick-up appears certain to not only undercut leading utes on price, but also to be among the very first hybrid utes available in Australia.

The Ford Ranger PHEV won’t be released until 2025 and, like the closely-related Volkswagen Amarok PHEV that’s expected to follow, is forecast to be very pricey.

Todd highlighted the BYD PHEV ute’s long range and vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging capability as key attributes that would ensure it appealed to Australian buyers.

“Bringing in the DM-i technology first allows Australians to make the transition to low-emission transport and do so without compromising,” he said.

“When you are driving around the city you will be full electric and when you want to go to Melbourne – and everyone keeps asking when is an electric car going to be able to drive from Sydney to Melbourne – you are going to be doing ultra-low emissions transport, because the battery and the turbo motor drive off each other.

“And then you have special features like you can set the vehicle in what we call tradie mode or fishing and camping mode.

“You can set the vehicle so if you want drive 600km off into the bush you end up with a full charge when you get there so you have your own generator.

“You drive to a work site and you keep your full battery and you charge your power tools… so it’s a game-changer in my opinion.”

Todd also talked up the driving capability of the Chinese-made BYD ute, especially on-road.

“Every effort has been put in to make sure it has the maximum off-road capability whilst also when you drive it – and I’ve driven it plenty of times in China on highways – it drives like a sports car… it was outstanding, really quick acceleration, great handling.

“It’s very unique and we can’t wait to get it into the public domain.”

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