Latest news with #BYDShark
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
I swapped my gas truck for a Chinese hybrid. The BYD Shark is great to drive, but one thing worries me.
Wayne Dopson runs a renovation business in Brisbane, Australia, and bought a BYD Shark hybrid pickup in March. He said it's great to drive compared with his old gas truck, but fears it may be obsolete in a few years. Chinese EV makers are expanding rapidly in tariff-free Australia, putting Tesla under pressure. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Wayne Dopson, a project manager in Brisbane, Australia about owning a BYD Shark hybrid pickup truck. It has been edited for length and clarity. I've always been in the property market, flipping houses and doing renovations. I have a small renovation business, working on kitchens, bathrooms, and decks for clients in Brisbane, which I've been doing for about 12 years now. I bought a VW Amarok diesel-powered pickup in 2015. I wanted to upgrade for a while, but nothing came along that took my interest. Other combustion-engine trucks like the Ford Ranger were all very similar to the Amarok. I would have been getting pretty much the same car with just a bigger screen, so I waited for something a little bit different. I bought the BYD Shark hybrid pickup in March for 64,000 Australian dollars, around $41,000. Ford and Toyota are charging ridiculous prices for their pickup trucks, or utes in Australia. You're looking at up to 80,000 dollars for something that is, to me, inferior to what BYD is charging 60,000 for. I've only done 2,000 kilometers in the Shark so I'm still learning the car, but so far I love driving it. The technology, the power, and the smoothness — it feels decades ahead of the Amarok. The level of luxury inside is incredible for the money. I've owned Audis and BMWs and it feels just as good, just as solid and well-built as a premium car. It also does 0 to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds, so it drives like a sports car. I use it mainly for work as well as leisure, and there are a couple of advantages to using it for work. It costs me just cents to run it each day. I've got 30 solar panels on my roof, so my electricity during the day is free. I pay eight cents per kilowatt hour from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m., which is enough time to charge the car — it takes between three to four hours to charge. If I set the car to charge at midnight, it's done by about 4 a.m., and it generally costs less than two Australian dollars, or $1.03. I'd be using 13 or 14 dollars ($8-9) worth of diesel a day in the VW Amarok, so comparatively it's very cheap to run. The other advantage is you've got power outlets in the back of the truck that provide about six kilowatts of power, which you can use on-site to power tools. It's got a really big tray with a couple of little tricks up its sleeve. You can open your tailgate with a quick press of the key, which is handy if you're walking up with your hands full. The Shark is what they call an EREV, or extended range electric vehicle. It's got two electric motors, at the front and rear, and it also has a 1.5-liter petrol turbo engine that acts as a generator. The petrol engine means range anxiety isn't really a thing for me. Generally, I do less than 100 kilometers a day, which will be done in electric mode, but if I do want to go to the beach or further down the coast, I've got the petrol engine right there. That just kicks in and charges the battery and I'm good to go for around 800 kilometers. The only thing that would worry me down the line is the resale value. I've already seen that new vehicles are coming out from Nissan, Ford, and Great Wall. The technology is advancing like crazy at the moment, so my Shark could be fairly obsolete in five years. It's got a six-year warranty, and I'm planning to keep it for the warranty period. What's it going to be worth at the end is anyone's guess. I think having more Chinese EV brands in Australia is great. We're getting longer warranty periods and better quality cars. Utes are a very important part of Australian culture. One of the issues the BYD Shark will face is that it doesn't have the same off-roading credentials as a vehicle with a diff lock — an axle mechanism that you need to crawl over rocks and rough terrain. It's fine on the sand and in the mud, but when it comes to really serious off-roading, where you are crawling up huge hills with ruts and boulders, it's going to struggle. For me, though, the Shark is great. It's a pleasure to drive, and it's nice being able to drive around knowing it's not costing me and not costing the planet either. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
11-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Insider
I swapped my gas truck for a Chinese hybrid. The BYD Shark is great to drive, but one thing worries me.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Wayne Dopson, a project manager in Brisbane, Australia about owning a BYD Shark hybrid pickup truck. It has been edited for length and clarity. I've always been in the property market, flipping houses and doing renovations. I have a small renovation business, working on kitchens, bathrooms, and decks for clients in Brisbane, which I've been doing for about 12 years now. I bought a VW Amarok diesel-powered pickup in 2015. I wanted to upgrade for a while, but nothing came along that took my interest. Other combustion-engine trucks like the Ford Ranger were all very similar to the Amarok. I would have been getting pretty much the same car with just a bigger screen, so I waited for something a little bit different. I bought the BYD Shark hybrid pickup in March for 64,000 Australian dollars, around $41,000. Ford and Toyota are charging ridiculous prices for their pickup trucks, or utes in Australia. You're looking at up to 80,000 dollars for something that is, to me, inferior to what BYD is charging 60,000 for. I've only done 2,000 kilometers in the Shark so I'm still learning the car, but so far I love driving it. The technology, the power, and the smoothness — it feels decades ahead of the Amarok. Luxury and power on the cheap The level of luxury inside is incredible for the money. I've owned Audis and BMWs and it feels just as good, just as solid and well-built as a premium car. It also does 0 to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds, so it drives like a sports car. I use it mainly for work as well as leisure, and there are a couple of advantages to using it for work. It costs me just cents to run it each day. I've got 30 solar panels on my roof, so my electricity during the day is free. I pay eight cents per kilowatt hour from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m., which is enough time to charge the car — it takes between three to four hours to charge. If I set the car to charge at midnight, it's done by about 4 a.m., and it generally costs less than two Australian dollars, or $1.03. I'd be using 13 or 14 dollars ($8-9) worth of diesel a day in the VW Amarok, so comparatively it's very cheap to run. The other advantage is you've got power outlets in the back of the truck that provide about six kilowatts of power, which you can use on-site to power tools. It's got a really big tray with a couple of little tricks up its sleeve. You can open your tailgate with a quick press of the key, which is handy if you're walking up with your hands full. Range is not a problem The Shark is what they call an EREV, or extended range electric vehicle. It's got two electric motors, at the front and rear, and it also has a 1.5-liter petrol turbo engine that acts as a generator. The petrol engine means range anxiety isn't really a thing for me. Generally, I do less than 100 kilometers a day, which will be done in electric mode, but if I do want to go to the beach or further down the coast, I've got the petrol engine right there. That just kicks in and charges the battery and I'm good to go for around 800 kilometers. The only thing that would worry me down the line is the resale value. I've already seen that new vehicles are coming out from Nissan, Ford, and Great Wall. The technology is advancing like crazy at the moment, so my Shark could be fairly obsolete in five years. It's got a six-year warranty, and I'm planning to keep it for the warranty period. What's it going to be worth at the end is anyone's guess. BYD puts down roots in Australia I think having more Chinese EV brands in Australia is great. We're getting longer warranty periods and better quality cars. Utes are a very important part of Australian culture. One of the issues the BYD Shark will face is that it doesn't have the same off-roading credentials as a vehicle with a diff lock — an axle mechanism that you need to crawl over rocks and rough terrain. It's fine on the sand and in the mud, but when it comes to really serious off-roading, where you are crawling up huge hills with ruts and boulders, it's going to struggle. For me, though, the Shark is great. It's a pleasure to drive, and it's nice being able to drive around knowing it's not costing me and not costing the planet either.
The Citizen
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Chery gearing up to take South African bakkie market by storm
The Wuhu-based firm's first-ever bakkie will have the option of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains. Himla emerged this past week at the Shanghai Motor Show after a development run of five years. Picture: Jaco van der Merwe Since showcasing its first bakkie, the Himla, at the Shanghai Auto Show last week, it has emerged that Chinese carmaker Chery has embarked on a relentless push in the light commercial vehicle segment. The Wuhu-based firm is set to introduce not only one, but numerous models in South Africa from next year. And it is considering as many as five powertrain options, one of which could rival the BYD Shark as one of the most powerful bakkies in South Africa. Truth from fiction According to Zhang Guibing, president of Chery International, the Chery Himla, internally called the KP11, is unlikely to be one of them as the KP31 is currently being developed for export markets. ALSO READ: Chery Himla revealed as marque's long awaited first bakkie The KP11 is a unibody vehicle, while the KP31 will be a built on a ladder frame chassis with different suspension. This means that The Citizen Motoring's short little drive on a make-shift off-road course in the Himla is nothing to go by. But regardless, it did feel very solid. The KP31 project might not even wear the Himla moniker at all. The name Sahara has been mentioned as a possibility and it is likely feature very different styling to that of the Himla. 'Our initial products were only built in left-hand drive, but from next year we will have them in right-hand drive. From next year we might bring two pick-ups to South Africa,' Guibing told a South African media delegation at Chery HQ at the weekend. Engine options The five powertrains on the table include two internal combustion engines; a 2.5-litre turbodiesel which produces 140kW/450Nm and a 170kW/378Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol. The third is a mild-hybrid which adds electrical assistance to a 2.5-litre oil-burner. It produces 200kW/600Nm. At the top end of the sphere are two plug-in hybrids (PHEV): a 2.5-litre turbodiesel hooked up to battery and electric motor to produce 260kW/680Nm and the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol with an electrical system producing 300kW/620Nm. Against the opposition The plug-in hybrid Chery bakkie will be slightly less powerful than the 320kW/650Nm BYD Shark. It will trump the incoming 290kW/670Nm JAC T9 PHEV in terms of power, but will be down on torque. The incoming range-extending electric Riddara RD6 has outputs of 315kW/595Nm. This means that the Chery bakkie, the JAC T9 PHEV, Riddara and BYD Shark will all be more powerful than the Ford Ranger Raptor. Until very recently the 292kW/586Nm Raptor was some distance ahead o f the pack. Chery claims that the KP31, which is set to be between 5 400 mm and 5 450 mm long, will feature space in the rear and more cargo space than the Ranger and Toyota Hilux. The length of its loadbin will be 1 560 mm. ALSO READ: Chery makes its official: Development on first bakkie has started
Perth Now
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- Perth Now
2025 GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV gets more electric range, sharper pricing
GWM has sharpened pricing for its BYD Shark 6-rivalling Cannon Alpha PHEV ute ahead of the imminent arrival of the first vehicles in Australia. Additionally, it says the Cannon Alpha PHEV now boasts 115km of electric range on the NEDC cycle – up from 110km and moving it further ahead of the BYD's 100km claim. 'Direct face-to-face negotiations between GWM ANZ senior management and their Head Office counterparts at the recent Shanghai Motor Show yielded lower Manufacturer List Prices (MLPs) across the Cannon Alpha PHEV range,' the company said in its press release. 'As a result, drive-away pricing has been sharpened by up to $2500 across most Australian states compared to the previously announced launch pricing.' Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Camera Icon Supplied Credit: CarExpert This lower launch pricing is valid for all contracts signed before June 30, 2025. When pricing was announced in February, GWM said the base Cannon Alpha PHEV Lux would wear a price tag of $63,990 drive-away, with the Ultra priced at $68,990 drive-away. It didn't announce pricing before on-roads. Now, depending on the state or territory, the Lux starts from as little as $61,490 drive-away and the Ultra from $67,990 drive-away. However, there's no nationwide drive-away pricing, with the Cannon Alpha PHEV costing more in some states and territories than others. We've published a detailed price list further down. For context, the Shark 6 is priced at $57,900 before on-roads – or between $59,855 and $62,725 drive-away, depending on the state and territory. Camera Icon Supplied Credit: CarExpert GWM says first shipments of the Cannon Alpha PHEV are expected into Australia 'imminently', with test drives available at GWM dealers from mid-May. The Cannon Alpha PHEV is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder plug-in hybrid powertrain incorporating a nine-speed automatic transmission and a 37.1kWh battery. Total system outputs are 300kW and 750Nm, with drive sent to all four wheels through a torque-on-demand four-wheel drive system. The Cannon Alpha PHEV Lux features a rear differential lock, with the Ultra adding a front differential lock. The rival Shark 6 lacks any locking differentials. Camera Icon Supplied Credit: CarExpert Claimed fuel economy is 1.7L/100km, or 7.9L/100km with the battery at a 'low state of charge'. The battery can be fast-charged at up to 50kW using DC power, and can be used to power external appliances thanks to 6kW vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability. The Cannon Alpha PHEV boasts a braked towing capacity of 3500kg – 1000kg more than the BYD – and a wading depth of 800mm. The GWM will not only have to contend with the popular Shark 6 in the growing PHEV ute space, but also upcoming plug-in versions of the Ford Ranger, Australia's best-selling ute. Pricing MORE: Everything GWM Cannon Alpha
NBC News
27-01-2025
- Automotive
- NBC News
Why this China-made BYD Shark pickup is drawing attention in the global truck market
DETROIT — There's a Shark circling one of the greatest profit pools for American automakers globally, as Chinese automaker BYD Auto expands its reach and product portfolio with a pickup truck. Without the vehicle's branding badge, the BYD Shark could pass as an American-made product. In many ways, it looks like a smaller pickup from Ford Motor. The China-made truck features uncanny exterior resemblances to a Ford Explorer mixed with the popular F-150 — part of the Ford brand's best-selling truck lineup in the U.S. for 48 years. Much like BYD's Seagull — a small all-electric hatchback that starts at just 69,800 yuan (or less than $10,000) — there's fear among global automakers that Chinese rivals like the Warren Buffett -backed BYD could flood their markets, undercutting domestic production and vehicle prices to the detriment of their own auto industries. BYD has not announced plans to sell the Shark in the U.S., but it has entered countries where General Motors, Ford and Toyota Motor sell pickup trucks, including Australia, Brazil and Mexico. In the U.S., pickup trucks are the bread-and-butter vehicles for the Detroit automakers, combining for millions of units of sales annually. They've also become increasingly important for Toyota in the U.S. and globally. 'When you consider the importance, from a revenue perspective, that these products bring to manufacturers, it's the franchise,' said Terry Woychowski, president of automotive at Caresoft Global who formerly was a chief engineer of GM's full-size trucks. 'There's been a lot of interest in this vehicle because of the market.' Caresoft, an engineering benchmarking and consulting firm, has torn down and examined roughly 40 China-built EVs from the likes of BYD, Nio and others. The Michigan-based company digitally and physically analyzes every part of a vehicle, from bolts and latches to seats, motors and battery casings. It then determines how its clients — mainly automakers and suppliers — can improve efficiencies and cut costs in their products. Drawing attention Automakers such as Ford and Toyota that rely heavily on sales of smaller pickup trucks globally have taken notice of the BYD Shark. 'It's a great product. It's sold well. They're trying to sell in high volume in Mexico, but it's also being localized in Thailand,' Ford CEO Jim Farley said when asked by CNBC earlier this month about the BYD Shark. 'If we want to be a global player in pickups, like we are now, we have to compete.' While Ford's F-150 reigns supreme in the U.S., Toyota's Hilux has been the top-selling truck outside of North America for many years. Toyota has sold 19.8 million Hilux trucks since its introduction in 1968, including a record of 851,000 units in 2022. When asked about Chinese competitors earlier this month, Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda said the company 'needs to be prepared to respond to the global needs of the global markets,' regardless of the competition. 'We try to focus on the needs of each individual market and try to be best in town. So that will be the strategy that we have,' Toyoda said during a media roundtable at the CES tech conference. BYD reportedly exported more than more than 10,000 BYD Sharks in 2024. Such sales are expected to increase going forward, especially as the company prepares to expand production. BYD has grown its share of vehicle exports from China from 2%, or less than 56,000 units, in 2022 to 8% in 2024, or 350,500 units, according to BofA Securities. Exporting has continued to assist BYD in increasing its sales globally to approximately 4.3 million vehicles in 2024, up from roughly 3 million a year earlier. Wall Street analysts expect that to continue to grow this year to roughly 5.5 million this year, according to Goldman Sachs. 'BYD is starting to tap into the overseas market with compelling (highly competitive, innovative) products, which we expect could become a second growth driver for the company, contributing 31% of incremental vehicle sales volume over 2022-2030E, Goldman Sachs analyst Tina Hou said in a Jan. 14 investor note. The BYD Shark is expected to help the automaker grow its sales and profits. It's a midsize pickup truck — which has a smaller market in the U.S. compared to globally — with a plug-in hybrid powertrain that combines electric vehicle components such as a battery and electric motors with a small 1.5-liter internal combustion engine. The vehicle can operate as an all-electric vehicle or have the engine power its batteries and electric motors, with a range of more than 500 combined miles between the battery and engine, according to BYD. The Shark starts at about 899,980 pesos ($44,000) in Mexico. That's far more than BYD's other models but still much cheaper than many hybrid or all-electric trucks in the U.S. It's in line with pricing of midrange models of the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma midsize pickup trucks in Mexico. Benchmarking Ford, GM Taking the BYD Shark for a spin on private property with a mix of smooth and broken pavement in Michigan, the pickup truck drives well. Its acceleration is quick, but not as fast as the Tesla Cybertruck or GM's all-electric pickups. It's quiet, but there's definitely room for improvements to the ride and handling, which feel a bit less refined than current trucks in the U.S. The overall build quality of the Shark is impressive, but there are quirky elements of the vehicle as well as some 'shared' best practices with current pickups by Ford and GM, according to Woychowski. Some familiar practices and elements include the overall exterior design being similar to the F-150, including its lighting and a pullout tailgate step; the front seat interior design resembling Toyota; and certain production aspects of the vehicle being used from other trucks. Most notably, its frame — the backbone of the vehicle — is dipped in wax. That's a process to reduce corrosion that GM has been doing for decades, according to Woychowski. 'You can tell where they benchmarked and whom,' Woychowski said while inspecting the vehicle's underbody. 'Ford back here, GM under there and Toyota over there.' That's not to say the vehicle isn't unique. While Caresoft still needs to tear down the Shark to understand its build processes and parts better, the vehicle's interior design and, most notably, its hybrid powertrain is unlike anything currently offered in the U.S. For example, some of the battery technologies are placed under the back seats, eliminating storage space, and there are bungee cords to hold up the vehicle's back bench seat when it's folded. 'This is actually quite poorly done,' Woychowski said regarding the back seat. 'I would watch this space. I bet they fix this up quite nicely.' Other not-so-easy to spot unusual elements include an over-engineered rear suspension with dual control arms (instead of one each); a considerably straight frame; an unnecessary amount of jack lifts under the vehicle for lifting it; and using hydraulic arms for the heavy tailgate, he said. Woychowski said clients have taken particular interest in Chinese automakers, including BYD, because of their growth and quickness in developing new products and making improvements to existing models. 'It's a credible truck,' Woychowski said about the Shark. 'There's some things they did very well. There's some things that they can do to clean it up, but that's not a hard job to do.' — CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.
