BYD thinks it can win over Toyota and Ford buyers with Shark 6 ute

10/25/2024 06:00 PM

BYD is confident its 2025 Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute is unique enough to sway buyers away from Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger dual-cabs as it looks to make a splash in the pick-up segment next week.

Ute customers are traditionally brand loyal and continue to purchase the latest models from Ford, Toyota, Isuzu, Mitsubishi or Nissan – depending on what they currently own – but David Smitherman, CEO of BYD's Australian importer EVDirect, is hoping to change that mindset with the Shark 6.

As Australia's first plug-in hybrid ute, the Shark 6 teams a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder with two electric motors and a 29.6kWh battery, resulting in a claimed all-electric driving range of 100km and a total hybrid range of around 800km.

This compares to the largely diesel-powered ute market dominated by Australia's three best-selling models – the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max.

The Shark 6 also comes with a comprehensive equipment list and is expected to be aggressively priced, starting under $60,000 before on-road costs.

BYD will confirm Australian pricing of the Shark 6 on Tuesday 29 October at the model's official launch in Broken Hill, NSW.

According to Smitherman, these factors are enough to convince buyers to step away from more mainstream ute models.

"It's about the features and the benefits, for sure," he said.

"Look at all this technology in the vehicle and the touch points as well, and what you'll see when you drive this vehicle, it's luxurious.

"Then, of course, the cost and saving element … these are tough times, and [if] you drive this vehicle like I do between the Blue Mountains and Sydney every day … you don't have to put any fuel in the vehicle.

"And what does that do to the average Aussie family? [It] probably saves them $150 a week because utes are pretty thirsty, and pretty noisy as well.

"So straight up you've got this cost-saving benefit, and if we look at the fleet space, this is going to dramatically reduce the cost of fleets and operating costs.

"There will be a lot of people that just drive this as a pure EV, the average Aussie does 33 kilometres per day, this will eat that up.

"But Aussies love a new product, they love new technology, this has got new technology, it's got cost of living savings, it looks fantastic, and it goes great."

Smitherman would not be drawn on sales expectations for the Shark 6, but BYD is promising a healthy supply of the new model before the PHEV fringe benefits tax (FBT) exemption for novated lease customers closes in April 2025, while large fleet buyers are also being courted by the Chinese brand.

The result could be a sizeable chunk of the 4×4 ute market going BYD's way, but time will tell how successful the Shark 6 will be against big-name players.

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