BYD has officially arrived on the UK pick-up truck market with its £47k Shark PHEV, capable of up to 56 miles of EV-only driving.
Introduced at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, the twin-cab BYD Shark uses a ‘Super Hybrid’ drivetrain, which combines a four-cylinder, 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor on each axle for four-wheel drive.
This means that the Chinese newcomer produces 430bhp, and with a 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds, it can outperform a Volkswagen Golf GTI in a straight line. The BYD Shark gets a 32.2kWh Blade battery, capable of 56 miles of electric-only range.
Using a 55kW DC charger, the Shark’s chassis-integrated battery can be charged from 30-80% in just 21 minutes. With a standard 11kW wallbox, it will take just over three hours.
The ‘Super Hybrid’ set-up means that the Shark can run as either a ‘parallel hybrid’, where the engine and motors work together to drive the car, or a ‘series hybrid’, meaning that the internal combustion engine charges the battery.
With Sand, Mud, Snow, and Gravel drive modes, along with hill descent control, plus respective approach and departure angles of 31 degrees and 19.3 degrees, BYD promises that the Shark’s performance credentials are far superior to those of a diesel pick-up.
For reference, the Shark has a WLTP-certified combined efficiency rating of 81mpg, a 2,500-kilogram towing capacity, and a 1,200-litre load bay. Its 6.6kW vehicle-to-load (V2L) system also allows users to run power tools and other equipment from the pick-up’s battery.
To keep things simple, BYD will launch the Shark in just one trim level, costing £47,290.
Standard equipment includes heated and ventilated front seats with faux leather all-round, a 10.25-inch digital driver display, a centrally mounted 15.6-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, wireless phone charging, and a 360-degree camera.
Given BYD’s focus on tech, the Shark can be pre-conditioned via the BYD smartphone app, while puddle lights, keyless entry, and keyless start come included with the price.
The BYD Shark comes in five exterior colours: Atlantis Blue, Obsidian Black, Polar White, Grey Green, and Sunrise Orange. The two-tone silver-and-black 18-inch wheels are standard, but all-black 19-inchers are available as an option.
It is worth noting that the BYD Shark’s payload is 790kg, 210 short of the 1,000kg needed for it to qualify as a commercial vehicle. This means that, unlike its main rival, the Ford Ranger PHEV, it is not VAT-exempt.
As such, the similarly priced Ford represents a 20% saving for business owners. However, the Ranger can’t compete with the Shark in terms of power and range, with 275bhp and just 27 miles of EV-only driving.
Orders for the BYD Shark are now open, with deliveries scheduled in Q4 2026. The BYD Shark made its international debut in May 2024 and is sold in Latin/South America, South Africa, Asia, and Oceania. In 2025, it was crowned Ute of the Year and Car of the Year by various Australian automotive outlets. A Shark 6 was also the 100,000th BYD to be sold Down Under.
