BYD and local distributor EVDirect have officially launched the Shark 6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute, with a huge local order response out of the gate – with customers apparently crashing the pre-order site where BYD was taking refundable $1,000 deposits.
The Shark’s local splash is unsurprising with reports of 2000 orders in the first day, given it offers performance that is on-par with a Ford Ranger Raptor and a red-hot price-tag of just $57,900 plus on-road costs.
BYD chose the iconic Mount Gipps Station, near Broken Hill, to launch Australia’s first PHEV ute with an outback bonanza, live streaming the unveiling to a global audience online, with more than a thousand people in attendance.
Music icon Darryl Braithwaite performed a special rendition of his hit song ‘The Horses’ in an Australiana-themed launch event that was as bizarre as it was impressive. Other noteworthy attendees were Dom Littrich, Bill King and Liam Moore of The Inspired Unemployed, surfer Shyama Buttonshaw, BMX rider Caroline Buchanan, AFL Player Liam Baker, Planet Ark founder Jon Dee, social personalities Jett Kenny and partner Lily Brown, and media personality Elle Baillieu.
The Shark 6 features a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and two electric motors for a combined 321kW/650Nm, and BYD says it will accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 5.7 seconds.
According to BYD, the Shark 6 is capable of travelling more than 800km on a single tank in hybrid mode, with claimed fuel use of just 2.0l/100km. It also boasts a 100km electric-only range when its 29.6kWh battery is fully charged.
It’s a ute after all, so its carrying capacity is key. It features a payload of 790kg, which is down on a typical dual-cab ute likely due to the weight of the battery and motors, and can only tow up to 2500kg which is also down on the 3500kg most 4×4 utes can legally pull. However, its ESG credentials make it a compelling fleet pick.
EVDirect has also partnered with Australian company Ironman 4×4 to design a wide range of ute additions – all of which can be added at the point of purchase, so buyers can modify the Shark 6 to be their own.
“The Australian car industry has been changed forever,” said EVDirect Executive Chairman and Managing Director, Luke Todd.
“Australians love utes, and they love their SUVs. What we’ve delivered is a rugged Aussie-ready ute, with the comfort of an SUV, that drives like a sports car on-road.”
The BYD Shark 6 is now on sale and the company says deliveries will kick off from December, with the first boat-load already accounted for.
“The first ship’s coming and it’s got 2,000 vehicles, and by the end of the day we will have sold all of those vehicles and that’s just from online orders and without me including the fleet (sales),” said EVDirect spokesperson, Boyd Stidwell.
“BYD has been in operation in Australia for just under two years and last month we just passed 30,000 sales. BYD is now the largest producer of EVs globally, so this year we’ll deliver 4.2 million vehicles across 70 countries. So we’ve got the most extensive range of new energy vehicles in Australia.”
The Shark 6 is yet to be ANCAP tested, but BYD says the ute through testing in February 2025.
