EV Direct, BYD’s Australian distributor, has announced the long-awaited pricing and specifications for its first-ever ute, the Shark 6.
Going on sale in a single high-spec Premium grade, the Shark 6 has been priced at $57,900 before on-road costs.
That puts the Shark 6 at a cheaper point of entry than the GWM Cannon Alpha Hybrid which is currently priced from $62,990, and much cheaper than a Toyota Hilux SR5 with 48-volt technology ($63,260).
The BYD Shark 6 has been priced from $57,900 before on-road costs
It’s the first plug-in hybrid ute to launch in Australia. BYD has beaten the Ford Ranger PHEV to market which won’t launch until mid-2025.
The BYD Shark 6 is now on sale in Australia, with first deliveries to commence in December. The ute can be ordered from BYD Automotive’s local website.
Powertrain, chassis and towing
BYD’s Shark 6 ute utilises a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that is mated to two electric motors – one on each axle – that produces combined system outputs of 321kW/650Nm.
The Shark 6 is a plug-in hybrid with 321kW/650Nm outputs
Providing additional power is a 29.58kWh Blade battery pack. Electric-only range is estimated to be 100km.
Despite weighing 2710kg, the Shark 6 is able to sprint to 100km/h in a claimed 5.7 seconds – about the same acceleration one would experience in a hot hatch.
The new BYD ute uses double wishbone suspension front and rear and ventilated disc brakes on all four corners. The ute has a maximum braked towing capacity of 2500kg, which is down on the 3500kg general standard found in other utes sold on Aussie shores.
The Shark will have an electric-only range of up to 100km
Being a plug-in hybrid, the Shark 6 can be charged up to 7kW with AC power, or a maximum of 55kW with DC power. Vehicle-to-load (V2L) is standard, allowing owners to run power tools or fridges, for instance.
Standard equipment for BYD’s first ute
What exactly do you get for your $57,900 before on-road costs? Check out the features below:
- 15.6-inch rotating centre touchscreen
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Wireless Android Auto connectivity
- Head-up display
- 12-speaker Dynaudio sound system
- Satellite navigation
- Four USB ports – two USB-C and two USB-A
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
- Electric power driver and front passenger seats
- Heated and ventilation for front seats
Centre 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen is standard
- LED headlights, tail lights and daytime running lights
- Keyless entry and start
- Wireless phone charger
- Dual-zone climate control
- Four V2L power outlets (230v, three-pin socket)
- Roof racks
- Rain sensing wipers
- 18-inch alloy wheels with full size spare
- Continental highway-terrain tyres
How safe is the new BYD ute?
The Shark 6 has not yet been tested by ANCAP, however a result is expected soon.
The BYD Shark 6 is yet to be tested by ANCAP, but features a lot of active safety
As standard, the ute comes fitted with the following safety features:
- Front, side, side curtain and far side drive airbags
- 360-degree camera
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Hill descent control
- Intelligent and adaptive cruise control
- Lane departure warning and prevention
- Emergency lane keeping assist
- Front collision warning
- Rear collision warning
Expect to see a lot of these BYD utes on Australian roads!
- Traffic sign recognition
- Front cross traffic alert and brake
- Rear cross traffic alert and brake
- Blind spot detection
- Trailer stability control
- Child presence detection
- Head-up display
BYD Shark 6 2024: prices in Australia
All prices listed are before on-road costs.
- Shark 6 Premium: $57,900
