- BYD has introduced the new Shark plug-in hybrid pickup in Mexico.
- The mid-size truck has 430 hp and can travel 62 miles on electricity alone.
- Pricing starts at $899,980 MXN or $53,427 USD, which undercuts the Chevrolet Colorado.
If you want to know why American automakers are terrified of Chinese brands, look no further than Mexico where BYD has introduced the all-new Shark. It’s an impressive looking mid-size truck that features a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Borrowing heavily from the Ford F-150 Lightning playbook, the Shark features a prominent BYD grille that is flanked by vertical headlights and LED “contour” lighting. They’re joined by plastic body cladding, roof rails, and a chase bar. The truck also sports blacked out pillars and 18-inch alloy wheels.
More: BYD Not Planning U.S. Entry Despite Building A Mexican Factory
Out back, we can see a Ford-esque tailgate and vertical taillights that are connected by a horizontal strip. They’re joined by a bumper with a wide central step.
BYD says the Shark has the “largest body size in its class” and it measures 214.8 inches (5,457 mm) long, 77.6 inches (1,971 mm) wide, and 75.8 inches (1,925 mm) tall. To put those numbers into perspective, the model is slightly longer than the Chevrolet Colorado and Ford Ranger but 3.2 inches (81 mm) shorter than the Jeep Gladiator.
The company didn’t have much to say about the interior, but it features a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.8-inch infotainment system with a screen that can apparently rotate. Buyers will also find Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and voice recognition technology. The truck even has a karaoke function, which enables owners to sing along with an optional handheld microphone.
The latter isn’t something you see every day, but the model also has more useful features including digital key technology and a 50W wireless smartphone charger. Other highlights include a 12-inch head-up display, soft-touch accents, and a surround view monitor that can provide a glimpse of the terrain beneath the vehicle.
BYD didn’t say much about the truck’s plug-in hybrid powertrain, but it apparently has a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine. This gives the model more than 430 hp (321 kW / 436 PS) and a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 5.7 seconds.
More importantly, the truck can travel 62 miles (100 km) on electricity alone in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). When the battery is low, it can go from a 30% to 80% charge in as little as 20 minutes.
The truck promises to be plenty capable as it has a payload capacity of 1,841 lbs (835 kg) and a towing capacity of 5,512 lbs (2,500 kg). While the latter number isn’t too impressive, the truck has an independent front and rear suspension, a V2L capability, and an app that enables everything from door locks to climate controls to be used remotely.
Speaking of equipment, the model offers a host of driver assistance systems including Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward / Rear Collision Warning, and Rear Cross Traffic Collision Warning. They’re joined by Lane Departure Warning, Emergency Lane Change Assist, and Automatic Emergency Braking.
We can expect to learn more details closer to launch, but pricing starts at $899,980 MXN (equal to $53,427 USD at current exchange rates). This means the Shark costs more than the Ranger, but undercuts the Chevrolet Colorado by $70,420 MXN ($4,180 USD).
