Chinese automaker BYD has so far limited its Australian operation to selling purely electric passenger cars and light SUVs, and while the brand has been successful in carving out a niche in the EV space, its next move will take it into new territory in multiple ways. The BYD Shark, the brand’s first electrified utility vehicle and the company’s first LCV for the Australian market, is drawing closer to a local release – and we now have our first good look at it.

The Hilux-sized Shark will offer a fairly conventional body-on-frame utility form factor, with only a dual-cab ute bodystyle shown thus far. With boxy, upright styling, it’s obvious that BYD is stepping away from the organic and rounded design language of its passenger cars in favour of a more masculine appearance that should resonate better with buyers in the segment. That said, full-width LED daytime running lamps stretch across the whole nose and tail of the Shark, which should make it stand out from the rest of the dual-cab crowd.

But what’s of greater interest is what lies under the Shark’s skin. The Shark will launch first as a plug-in hybrid, with dual electric motors supplying a very healthy 321kW of power to all four wheels – that’s more than Ford’s turbo V6 Ranger Raptor – delivering a brisk 5.7-second zero-to-hundred acceleration time. Average fuel economy from the 1.5L turbo four-cylinder petrol engine is a claimed 7.5L/100km, an already respectable number, but could be as little as zero if owners are able to utilise only the onboard battery for their daily driving needs. The claimed electric-only range of the Shark is 100km on the NEDC cycle (which equates to around 70km by the more realistic WLTP standard), with a maximum range of 840km when in hybrid mode.

The catch? The Shark uses an independent front and rear suspension, which may turn off some operators more familiar with rugged live rear axles, while maximum towing capacity is just 2,500kg – a tonne less than main rivals – while its 835kg payload is also on the low side. Expect the BYD Shark to land in Australia either late this year, or in early 2025.