BYD Shark pickup truck unveiled with 435hp PHEV powertrain

BYD has introduced the new Shark pickup truck in Mexico. The Shark is BYD’s first-ever pickup truck and comes with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The name 'Shark' is in line with BYD’s 'Ocean Series' line-up of cars and SUVs that also includes the Seal sedan, the Seal U SUV and the Dolphin hatchback.

1. BYD Shark rivals Isuzu D-Max, Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux in Mexico
2. Gets 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine with front-,rear-mounted electric motors
3. India launch unlikely

BYD Shark PHEV: design highlights

On the outside, the BYD Shark is designed like a conventional double-cab pickup truck but with some bold styling elements like a giant BYD emblem up front. It gets C-shaped LED DRLs that are connected together with a light bar. The connected lighting setup is also seen at the rear on the tail lamps of the truck. It gets a debossed BYD logo on the tailgate.

Inside the cabin, the pickup truck gets two digital displays - one for the infotainment measuring 12.8-inches and another 10.25-inch screen for instrumentation. The dashboard features vertical AC vents on the sides and an open storage area, while the rear AC vents are placed below the infotainment screen in the centre tunnel. 

Other features on offer include a 12-inch head-up display, 50W wireless charger, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a karaoke function, a surround-view monitor and more. The BYD Shark measures 5,457mm in length, 1,971mm in width and stands 1,925mm tall.

BYD Shark PHEV: powertrain, mechanical specs

Powering the BYD Shark is a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a plug-in hybrid system called DMO (dual-mode off-road), putting out a combined 435hp. The PHEV powertrain is said to optimise off-road performance. BYD claims that the Shark pickup truck can dash from 0-100kph in 5.7 seconds.

It can travel 100km on electricity alone, while 30-80% charge would take about 20 minutes. The body-on-frame truck offers a payload capacity of 835 kg and a 2,500kg towing capacity. It gets an independent front and rear suspension.

BYD recently launched the Seal EV in the Indian market which joins the E6 MPV and Atto 3 SUV in the carmaker’s Indian portfolio. The pickup truck segment is still a niche category in India, and hence, BYD is not expected to launch the Shark PHEV in our country. Instead, the Chinese automaker is planning to launch three other EVs here.