- The new truck will follow the smaller Shark 6, which has garnered positive feedback.
- BYD is unlikely to adopt a fully electric powertrain, opting instead for a plug-in hybrid.
- However, it’s very unlikely the full-size pickup will ever be available in the United States.
The BYD Shark 6 may have marked the Chinese automaker’s first foray into pickup trucks, but now that it has a taste of the market, it wants more. The company has confirmed it will launch a full-size pickup to rival the likes of the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, and Toyota Tundra, unlike the Shark 6, which competes against the smaller Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux.
Read: BYD Shark 6 Pickup Puts Legacy Automakers On Notice
While the new truck is unlikely to be sold in the U.S. due to tariffs, where it could challenge classic American pickups, it will be offered in other key markets like Australia. Unlike full-size pickup rivals such as the F-150, Silverado, and Tundra, which are converted to right-hand drive for the Australian market, the new BYD model will likely be built as a right-hand drive from the factory.
In theory, this could help it undercut competitors, as these conversions typically add tens of thousands to a vehicle’s price.
BYD’s Ambitions Grow
While recently speaking with Drive, the CEO of BYD’s Australian distributor EVDirect, David Smitherman, confirmed development of the new pickup is underway, but didn’t give a specific date regarding when it could be released.
“I’m from a full-size pick-up background, [that] is my prior, prior history, so I love big utes,” he said. “Absolutely, it’s in development. As a brand I think absolutely, that’s an area that we’d love to be in.” When quizzed about the vehicle’s potential arrival, he indicated it could be a “similar distance” out as a 2.0-liter version of the Skark 6, which is expected to launch in 2027.
Powertrain and Speculation
As for what’s under the hood of the upcoming truck, well, it’s all still a bit murky. The truck, potentially dubbed the Shark 9, may not go all-in on electric, as many might have expected. Instead, BYD will likely stick with what works, offering a plug-in hybrid powertrain, just like it does with the Shark 6.
In the Shark 6, BYD’s plug-in hybrid consists of a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and a pair of electric motors, delivering a combined 430 hp (321 kW) that allow it to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 5.7 seconds.
Should BYD want to give its bigger truck more power, it could easily do so, as it builds several other PHEV models, including the insane YangWang U8, which delivers 1,180 hp from a combination of four permanent electric motors and a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. However, we’re not holding our breath for that particular engine to make its way into a pickup truck.
BYD Shark 6
