A much more powerful petrol engine – and a big uplift in braked towing abilities – have been outed ahead of schedule for the anticipated 2.0-litre version of BYD's Shark 6 ute.
Technical details of the much-anticipated 2.0-litre version of the 2026 BYD Shark 6 ute – with 3500kg towing and more power – have been outed ahead of an expected launch later this year.
Australian government homologation documents seen by Drive show the upgraded Shark 6's combined output will only be 24kW higher than today's 1.5-litre model.
However, the way it gets to the new output – and the revised split between petrol and electric power – suggests a greater focus on retaining performance when the battery pack is depleted.
BYD Australia is yet to confirm plans for a 2.0-litre version of the Shark 6, nor comment on the government documents released by federal regulators today.
However, the presence of the documentation suggests the 2.0-litre Shark 6 may be in showrooms by the end of 2026 – or sooner – as an addition to the line-up, rather than a replacement for the 1.5-litre Premium variant.
It also appears set to retain the Shark 6 badge, rather than step up in numerals to Shark 7 or Shark 8.
The new Shark 6 variant will swap the current 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine developing 135kW at 5400rpm, for a 2.0-litre unit developing 180kW at 5000rpm.
It also upgrades the 170kW front electric motor to 200kW, while leaving the 150kW rear electric motor unchanged, for a combined output of 345kW – up from 321kW.
In simplified terms, it pairs a version of the Denza B8 luxury 4WD's 2.0-litre engine – albeit in a higher state of tune (180kW vs 145kW) – with the smaller Denza B5's front electric motor, and the current Shark 6's rear motor.
The tuning of the new powertrain components – including the front motor – is understood to be different to the Denza vehicles, however. No torque outputs are quoted.
It remains to be seen if the upgraded Shark 6 adopts the Denzas' differential locks, but it is confirmed that it will boost its braked towing capacity from 2500kg today, to 3500kg.
The 45kW improvement in engine power is likely a key factor in the towing boost, as testing by Drive of the current Shark 6 has found the 1.5-litre engine to work hard when the battery is depleted, and only a 2500kg trailer is attached.
The new powertrain has increased tare weight from 2675kg to 2738kg, but the gross vehicle mass (GVM) is unchanged at 3500kg, so payload has been cut from 825kg to 762kg.
Government documents list the upgraded Shark 6 with identical dimensions to the current model – 5457mm long, 1971mm wide, and 1925mm long – with the same ground clearance, 18-inch wheel diameter, and 265/65 profile tyres.
As a result, any styling changes for the higher-power version are likely to be minimal, bar badges on the front wheel arches, if spy photos are a guide.
The government documents do not list any changes to the suspension, but the front brake discs are enlarged from 323x34mm to 346x34mm. The rear brake discs are unchanged, at 334x25mm.
More details of the BYD Shark 6 2.0-litre – including its name, and confirmation of its existence by the Chinese manufacturer – are expected closer to its showroom arrival.
“We've heard loud and clear the feedback on Shark. We know where we can improve. It's a great package. Now, we can even make it better,” BYD Australia boss Stephen Collins told Drive last year.
“Clearly towing capacity and payload would probably be at the top of the list. We'll have more to say about that in the next few months here.”
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
