BYD is on a roll in Malaysia. The Chinese carmaker is expected to deliver more than 10,000 cars in the country this month. So is it any wonder that the corporation is presently investigating prospects in other vehicle segments to sustain its growing momentum in Malaysia? It could be the brand’s first hybrid model there.
This fact was revealed during a recent media session with Eagle Zhao, the managing director of BYD Malaysia. Zhao claims that his firm and its local distributor Sime Darby Motors have already started looking into the viability of launching the BYD Shark pickup truck in Malaysia.
The BYD Shark, also known as the Shark 6 in some countries, was initially presented globally in Mexico earlier this year. It has now been confirmed that the pickup truck will make its debut in Australia, the first right-hand-drive market for the pickup truck..
The truck’s Dual Mode Offroad (DMO) hybrid technology, which was initially demonstrated on the Bao 5 during an earlier Malaysian preview, powers the BYD Shark. The 1.5-litre turbocharged gasoline engine and two electric motors, including an e-Axle at the back, make up the powertrain, which has a combined system output of over 436 horsepower.
According to BYD, the Shark can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. A 29.58 kWh LFP battery pack can be fully charged at a maximum rate of 40 kW in approximately 20 minutes, giving it a pure electric driving range of up to 100 km (NEDC) — although we should expect around 80-kms in the real world.
The BYD Shark is marketed as having twin-turbo petrol V6 performance and diesel-like fuel economy. In hybrid mode, it is said to consume 7.5L/100km of gasoline, giving it a combined range of 840 km (NEDC), which would equate to around 750km in the real world.
The BYD Shark, if it is released in Malaysia, will probably be the brand’s first hybrid vehicle. In response to a question concerning the potential introduction of further hybrid vehicles in Malaysia, Zhao stated that the company will make every effort to meet market demands.
With the debut of the Sealion 6 DM-i earlier this month, Thailand became the first market in Southeast Asia where the company started selling its hybrid products.
CARLIST THOUGHTS
The Shark certainly looks the part — like an American truck—rugged with street presence and a gutsy turbo with twin motors pumping out an impressive 436 hp and offering at least 80km of pure electric driving range. We know there’s definitely a market in Malaysia for a hybrid truck, to enhance BYD’s lineup, thus giving customers a choice of EV or petrol-electric hybrid.