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BYD’s upcoming mid-size ute, expected to be called Shark, has been caught in the wild without any camouflage.
BYD’s competitor in the booming dual-cab ute market has been caught undisguised, revealing styling of the Chinese Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux rival that is due to arrive in Australian showroom later this year.
Spotted in Mexico by AutoDinamico, as well as in Australia last week, the BYD ute’s name has not been revealed thus far, but a recent local trademark filing indicates it could be called the Shark.
Filed just last week, the Shark name is under examination, but does fit with the marine-animal theme alongside the Seal and Dolphin electric cars.
As for aesthetics, the Shark sports rugged and boxy looks as seen when the car was under camouflage earlier this year, but details in the new leaked photos show off a BYD-adorned front grille and squared headlights akin to a Ford F-150.
A front bash plate can also be seen, as well as roof rails and a sports bar, likely indicating this is a top-spec model aimed at something like the Ford Ranger Wildtrak or Toyota HiLux Rogue.
At the rear, the BYD name is stamped into the tailgate, while the tail-lights are also connected by a lighting strip to keep styling modern.
The cabin sports a large central infotainment touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster, as well as a flat-bottom steering wheel and drive-mode selector between the front passengers.
Though the seats are covered, high-end materials like leather and red contrast stitching can also be glimpsed, while a sunroof also features.
It remains a mystery as to what is powering the BYD Shark, but early reports indicate a plug-in hybrid powertrain will be made available first.
Details are scarce, but a 100km all-electric driving range is expected, as well as a 1200km touring range when taking into account the petrol engine.
BYD already employs a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol and electric motor hybrid set-up in its Fangcheng Bao 5/Fang Cheng Bao Leopard 5 off-road SUV which features a combined output of 505kW/760Nm.
Aside from the plug-in hybrid, an all-electric version is also likely to surface for an on-sale date from 2025.
If the BYD Shark comes to market later this year with a PHEV powertrain, it would be the first plug-in hybrid ute available in Australia, beating the Ford Ranger PHEV that is due to launch in 2025.
An all-electric version would join the LDV eT60 as the only tailpipe emissions-free workhorses, but Isuzu has plans for a D-Max EV coming to market in 2025.
The post This is what BYD’s Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux-rivalling hybrid ute will look like appeared first on Drive.
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