- BYD is planning to launch the Shark pickup in the domestic Chinese market after the model has already been rolled out in multiple overseas markets.
- Pickups represent a niche segment in China, with sales totaling 369,000 units from January to August.
BYD (HKG: 1211) is planning to introduce the Shark hybrid pickup truck in the domestic Chinese market, following its launch in multiple overseas markets.
Li Yunfei, general manager of band and public relations at the Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) maker, mentioned the plan yesterday on Weibo while responding to a user’s question about when the Shark would be launched domestically.
“It’s in the planning stages and will be launched sooner or later,” Li wrote.
Li, currently visiting Mexico, shared three images on Weibo yesterday, one showing a Shark pickup in a showroom.
BYD launched the Shark in Mexico on May 14, 2024 — a rare instance of the automaker debuting a new model overseas before its home market.
This decision partly stems from China’s current policies, which are not favorable for pickup truck usage in urban areas, keeping such vehicles a niche market domestically.
From January to August, pickup truck sales in China came in at 369,000 units, up 7 percent year-on-year, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
Cumulative sales of new energy pickup trucks during the same period totaled 49,000 units, surging 536 percent year-on-year.
By comparison, China’s total NEV retail sales reached 8.8 million units during the same period, up 23.36 percent year-on-year.
The Shark is built on BYD’s DMO platform, where “O” stands for off-road and “DM” for dual mode.
Its dimensions are 5,457 mm in length, 1,971 mm in width, and 1,925 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,260 mm.
It features dual motors: the front motor delivers a maximum power of 170 kW and peak torque of 310 Nm, while the rear motor produces 150 kW maximum power and 340 Nm peak torque.
The BYD Shark’s powertrain generates over 430 horsepower, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds with a top speed of 160 km/h.
To date, beyond Mexico, the pickup has launched in markets including Brazil, Panama, Cambodia, Australia, and Pakistan.
Throughout 2024, BYD exported 11,038 Shark pickups from China, according to previously released company data.
This marks the first year-on-year decline in BYD’s monthly NEV sales since March 2024, with PHEV sales falling 25.58 percent.
