BYD, a Chinese carmaker known as Build Your Dreams, has revealed the first official pictures of its new electrified truck called the Shark. These images show the truck without any covering, so we can see it clearly. The design seems to take inspiration from Western pickup trucks.
The headlights look similar to those on the Ford F-150 Lightning, and the back of the truck resembles the first-generation Volkswagen Amarok. A light strip connects the rear lights, stretching across the tailgate. Unfortunately, BYD hasn’t shown us the front of the truck yet.
We still don’t know much about the interior, but BYD is expected to reveal more details on May 14. From the pictures, we can see that the Shark has black plastic cladding around the wheel arches and lower doors. It also has diamond-cut alloy wheels with all-season tires and a sports bar, which might be an optional extra.
BYD hasn’t shared many details about the Shark, but they say it will be good for off-roading and will feature DMO technology. This technology, first used in the Fangchengbao Bao 5 SUV, combines the battery pack with the chassis to make the truck lighter and safer.
Initially, it was thought that the Shark would be fully electric like the Rivian R1T, but it will actually be a hybrid, which is better for heavy-duty work. Electric trucks are good to drive and efficient, but they often don’t have enough range, especially when carrying heavy loads or going to remote places.
Reports suggest that the Shark will have a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine along with an electric motor. It’s expected to have a range of around 745 miles, but this estimate might be too optimistic. BYD doesn’t plan to sell the Shark in the United States, but if it did, the EPA might give it a lower range estimate. When it comes out, it will compete with trucks like the Ford Ranger PHEV and the upcoming Jeep Gladiator 4XE.
