Australian testing to play critical role in global BYD model development
Australia will play a vital role in the development of BYD models sold around the world, not just locally, says the Chinese automaker.
Testing of models such as the BYD Shark 6 ute – which was extensively evaluated in Australia ahead of its local release in January 2025 – is designed to ensure local suitability, but models not sold here such as the Yangwang U8 large SUV from BYD's luxury brand have also been spied testing on Australian roads.
Ford is the only automaker that still develops vehicles from the ground up in Australia, but several others including Kia and more recently GWM and Mitsubishi also conduct local chassis tuning in and for this market.
However, Australian input was critical for the plug-in hybrid Shark 6 dual-cab – a competitor for the top-selling, locally designed and engineered Ford Ranger sold around the world – just as it has been for other rivals including the upcoming Kia Tasman, which was repeatedly seen testing here ahead of its mid-year release.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
Yet BYD Australia product lead Sajid Hasan told CarExpert the local arm's evaluation and engineering signoffs will be used to finetune suspension and other settings for the automaker's global products.
'It's important that we do local confirmation testing, rough-road durability, hot weather, climate, tow testing – all those kinds of things are being done to make sure that the products are suitable for Australian customers,' Mr Hasan said.
'For models like that [Shark 6], particularly off-road focussed vehicles, we're in a fortunate position that in Australia, our roads represent 80 per cent of the world's variety of roads.
'So we are a very critical market for right-hand drive development, and the kind of tuning and testing that gets done here is used in other areas of the world.'
The development of the Shark 6 included engineers from BYD's Chinese headquarters joining Australian testing teams, with a particular focus on suspension as part of a broader vehicle assessment program. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
BYDs sold in Australia – including the upcoming Atto 2 small SUV and the brand's first seven-seat SUV, the Sealion 8 – will ride on locally tuned suspension instead of the 'soft' or more comfortable chassis tunes preferred by Chinese customers.
BYD says the feedback will influence right-hand drive models sold in countries like Japan, the UK and Cyprus – where BYD was launched on May 28 – as well as playing a role in left-hand drive vehicle development, too.
The popularity and variety of SUVs in Australia – where they accounted for more than half of all new vehicle sales in 2024 – makes local testing even more helpful for BYD HQ in China.
'It also gives us kind of an access, like a gateway, into the global development,' Mr Hasan told CarExpert.
'For certain models, like large SUVs and off-road focused SUVs, we're a very important market because of our market size and demand for that type of vehicle.'
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Labour MP and committee chair Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi said the agreement was vital, and the inquiry would examine progress against pillar one and the technology sharing agreement, known as pillar two. "AUKUS has been under way for over three years now. Our inquiry, launching today, will examine whether the partnership is on track, and will consider the impact of geopolitical shifts since the initial agreement in 2021," Mr Dhesi said. Following the announcement of the Pentagon review of AUKUS, Defence Minister Richard Marles acknowledged the recently completed UK review. "All three countries are committed to ensuring AUKUS meets national and trilateral objectives." Dr Graham said while the focus was on US and Australian relations, this overlooked the role of the UK in the trilateral partnership. READ MORE: "The UK role in this is very important, the UK is also actively supporting Australia in Washington, by lobbying for the Virginia [submarine] transfer." Dr Graham said that given the support of the UK and the critical role that Congress plays in the US, which passed enabling legislation, it was premature to speculate about the end of the agreement. "I wouldn't overreact to this announcement at the moment, I think the review is not dissimilar to the review in the UK and the review of the [Australian Submarine Agency]," he said. "All three partners have to maintain tight scrutiny of this given the ambition level." The announcement that the Pentagon will review the AUKUS agreement has kicked off feverish speculation that the mercurial US President will scrap the trilateral partnership. But it's not the first time the agreement has been reviewed, and nor will it be the last. In April, the United Kingdom announced it would double-down on the AUKUS agreement, after a rapid review conducted by former National Security Adviser Sir Stephen Lovegrove. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed his government would retain Sir Lovegrove as a special representative, to shepherd the program through to the next generation of submarines, which will be designed and initially built in the UK. While not uncontroversial in the UK, particularly given the challenges the country faces with building its industrial base, the program has bipartisan support, both from the Conservative party that signed the agreement under former PM Boris Johnson and now Sir Keir. The Lovegrove review is yet to be published publicly, but Sir Stephen has briefed US and Australian officials on its findings and is expected to travel to Canberra to further share his findings with Defence officials here. "[AUKUS] is a uniquely powerful partnership which will develop and deliver cutting-edge capabilities, help to revitalise Britain's defence industrial base and provide sustained employment for thousands of people across the UK, US and Australia," Sir Stephen said when he was appointed to the special representative role. Senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute Dr Euan Graham said the outcome of the Lovegrove reviews so far indicated the parties all needed to adopt a "whole of government" approach to AUKUS. "One of the things that Lovegrove has recommended is the need to bring AUKUS out of the Defence silo and approach it across the three partners with the whole of government, whole of nation ethos, front and centre." A separate parliamentary committee review is under way in the UK as well, with submissions closed on May 30. 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Dr Graham said that given the support of the UK and the critical role that Congress plays in the US, which passed enabling legislation, it was premature to speculate about the end of the agreement. "I wouldn't overreact to this announcement at the moment, I think the review is not dissimilar to the review in the UK and the review of the [Australian Submarine Agency]," he said. "All three partners have to maintain tight scrutiny of this given the ambition level."
