BYD’s Seals, Sealions and Dolphins had better watch out. Now the Chinese car company is bringing its Shark pickup to the UK, with prices starting from £47,290 including VAT, and deliveries expected before the end of the year.
The Shark is BYD’s first pickup, and it arrives with a different take on the usual diesel-powered formula. It uses BYD’s familiar plug-in hybrid tech with a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine alongside two electric motors and a 32.2kWh battery.
Together, the system produces 430bhp and 650Nm of torque, giving the five-seat double cab a claimed 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds. That’s properly quick for a vehicle that’s 5,457mm long, weighs 2,710kg and is designed to carry tools, tow trailers and should be able to head off the beaten track.
BYD says the Shark can travel for up to 55.9 miles on electric power alone, while its official combined range is 419 miles with a full battery and a full 60-litre fuel tank. The official fuel economy figure is 80.7mpg, although that drops to 29.4mpg once the battery is low.
Charging should be more useful than in plenty of plug-in hybrids, too. The battery can be charged from 15 to 100 per cent in just over three hours using an 11kW charger, while a 55kW rapid charger can take it from 30 to 80 per cent in 21 minutes.
The Shark uses what BYD calls DMO, or Dual Mode Off-road, technology. In simple terms it can run as an electric vehicle, use the petrol engine as a generator, combine the engine and motors for stronger acceleration, or let the engine drive the wheels directly at higher speeds where that’s deemed more efficient.
There’s all-wheel drive as standard, plus driving modes for sand, mud, snow and gravel, while hill descent control is also included. It has a 2,500kg towing limit, a 790kg payload and a 1,200-litre load bed, putting it in the same working territory as more familiar diesel pickups.
The Shark’s cabin is more car-like than you might expect from a traditional pickup. There’s a 15.6-inch central touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital driver display and a head-up display, along with heated and ventilated front seats, vegan-leather upholstery, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12-speaker Dynaudio sound system and a 360-degree camera.
Rear-seat passengers get a flat floor and almost 900mm of legroom, while the rear seatbacks recline to 27 degrees. BYD is also fitting two Vehicle-to-Load sockets, allowing owners to power equipment from the battery. The system can supply up to 6.6kW, enough for anything from work tools to a coffee machine or power washer and camping equipment.
Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD, said: “We’re thrilled to bring Super Hybrid to the pickup segment with the Shark. This type of vehicle really benefits from our DMO Super Hybrid technology, offering pure-electric capability, the most power in the class, excellent off-road capability, outstanding efficiency and long-distance flexibility.
“And our innovative approach to technology delivers stand-out features, including V2L that can really help at work and play. The market for plug-in hybrid pickups is expanding rapidly, and we’re confident that the Shark will be really appreciated by customers across Europe who want this type of vehicle but aren’t willing to compromise on efficiency or comfort.”
Orders are open now, with the BYD Shark offered in just a single, high-specification trim level.
