A second ute from BYD is looking to follow in the successful wheel-tracks of the Shark 6, as what looks to be a Ford Maverick-style 'lifestyle' pick-up.
BYD is preparing to launch a softer and more car-like counterpart to the popular Shark 6 ute, which could come to Europe and, in turn, Australia.
Designs filed with European intellectual-property regulators – spotted by Car News China – show a new dual-cab ute from BYD, which has been spied testing in China and South America in recent months.
It bears a strong visual resemblance to the BYD Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid, particularly in the shape of the passenger cabin, and similar surfacing on the doors.
It suggests the ute is not a ladder-frame sibling to the Shark 6, as initially rumoured, but rather a 'monocoque', car-derived pick-up in the vein of the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz not sold in Australia.
The tub is much shorter than that of a Shark 6, and is integrated with the passenger cabin – both cues that are more common to utes based on family SUVs than hardcore, body-on-frame offerings.
It wears a different front end to the Sealion 6, and is instead more closely aligned to the Sealion 5 that's soon to reach local showrooms, while the tail-lights are inspired by the Shark 6.
Monocoque utes have enjoyed a recent resurgence in the US – where BYD does not sell cars – but they have long been popular in other markets where the Chinese car maker operates, such as South America and Africa.
The new BYD ute's design was registered in Europe, where they are not popular, and the car brand does not currently offer the Shark 6.
However, nearly all BYD models sold in Europe to date have come to Australia – the only exception being the Seal 6 plug-in hybrid sedan, at least for the time being – once right-hand-drive production commences.
If the new ute is based on the Sealion 6, expect a similar range of plug-in hybrid drivetrains based around a 1.5-litre petrol engine with or without turbocharging, and aided by one or two electric motors.
It uses BYD's DM-i hybrid technology, rather than the DM-O system in the Shark 6, which is geared towards off-road applications, despite not featuring locking differentials or a low-range transfer case in the ute.
The addition of the '6' designation when what is sold as the BYD Shark overseas was introduced to Australia opens the door for a smaller, car-derived model to wear a badge such as Shark 3 or Shark 4.
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
