Truck customers in the UK just got another interesting option with a plug-in powertrain, the BYD Shark. It’s also sold in China, Australia, Mexico, and South America—but not in the United States, despite being one of America’s favorite kinds of vehicles. We don’t get any BYD vehicles in the U.S., so it’s not entirely surprising that the Shark is staying away from our shores. But it’s a shame because if any of BYD’s cars could make it here, it’d be the Shark. With its Toyota Tacoma-size, boxy shape, and shrunken F-150 Lightning styling, it would fit right at home on American roads.
OK, so the “Super Hybrid DMO” plug-in powertrain would be a tougher sell, as tiny engines aren’t very popular in American pickups. But that doesn’t mean the Shark lacks punch. The 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder might seem small but it gets help from two electric motors, one at each axle. It packs a very healthy 430 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. Is 0-62 mph a useful metric for a pickup truck? Not really, but the Shark can do it in a hot-hatch-like 5.7 seconds. Towing is a useful metric, however, and the Shark can tow 5,511 pounds, which is about 2,200 fewer than the Ford Ranger PHEV.
Photo by: Motor1.com
The Shark can drive 419 miles with both its battery and gas tank full, and it delivers 80.7 mpg combined, both according to WLTP standards. Its 32.2 kWh “Blade Battery” gives it 55.9 miles of WLTP-rated electric range. Being a hybrid, it doesn’t really need super fast charging, so its 55 kW max charging speed is on par with the competition. The Ranger PHEV, for instance, charges at 50 kW, but it can only do 27 miles of purely electric driving.
Speaking of Ford, it looks like BYD was, let’s say, inspired by the Ford F-150 Lightning when it comes to the Shark’s design. The wraparound headlights connected by a top light bar look plucked right from Ford’s design sketches, as do its taillights and rear light bar. Even the massive BYD font, both front and rear, has Ford vibes.
It isn’t as Ford-like inside, however. The It has a massive center touchscreen, some nice orange trim bits, and the steering wheel is even on the wrong side! How very unlike the Ford we know.
Bad steering wheel jokes aside, the BYD Shark has the looks, specs, and towing capacity to be a popular truck in the UK. If BYD ever gets the clearance to sell the Shark here, it’d probably do well too.