BYD Just Turned the Shark 6 Into a Serious Ford Ranger Rival

BYD is moving quickly with the Shark 6 in Australia. After previewing an expanded lineup, the company has now added two new versions of the plug-in hybrid pickup, giving buyers more choice.

The big news is the new BYD Shark 6 Performance. Specifically, the new Performance swaps the old 1.5-liter turbo engine for a larger 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Combined output jumps to 469 hp and 516 lb-ft, helping the truck hit 62 mph in 5.5 seconds. That is properly fast territory for something designed to tow trailers and carry tools around job sites.

The improved towing capacity is another important upgrade here. The standard Shark 6 topped out at 5,511 lbs, which always felt slightly behind rivals in Australia’s pickup market. The new BYD Shark 6 Performance fixes that by increasing towing capacity to 7,716 lbs, matching the benchmark figures buyers expect from vehicles like the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux.

Visually, not much changes, though there is one slightly odd downgrade inside. The chunky center-console shifter from the Premium disappears, replaced by a column-mounted shifter and simpler switchgear.

Still, all Shark 6 models retain the more sophisticated double-wishbone suspension setup front and rear, avoiding the leaf springs many competitors still rely on. BYD also added a new Crawl mode to improve low-speed off-road traction across rough terrain.

Alongside the Performance, BYD also launched a cheaper Dynamic Cab-Chassis version starting at AU$55,900 ($40,000). It keeps the smaller 1.5-liter plug-in hybrid system but swaps in a more work-focused rear setup aimed at tradespeople.

A more powerful 2.0-liter version of that model is also coming later this year, bringing the same 7,716 lbs towing capability. At this rate, BYD is not just experimenting in Australia’s pickup market anymore. It’s starting to look properly serious.