The BYD Shark 6 cab-chassis has been given the government’s stamp of approval to go on sale in Australia.
Approved late last week, the Shark 6 cab-chassis retains the existing Shark 6’s key dimensions and capabilities, including a 3260mm wheelbase and a braked towing capacity of 2500kg.
With a tare mass of 2565kg — 110kg less than the existing model with a factory tray — and an unchanged gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 3500kg, the cab-chassis can accommodate a payload of 935kg, which includes whatever tray or storage area is installed by the owner.
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As expected, the cab-chassis will use a carry over plug-in hybrid drivetrain with a 135kW turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine at its core.
In the existing ute, the plug-in hybrid system has a total output of 321kW and 650Nm. It’s hooked up to a 29.6kWh battery pack that gives it an EV driving range of 100km.
Timing has yet to be confirmed by BYD, but given its recent approval, an early 2026 launch seems likely. The company is also said to be working on a more powerful variant with a 2.0-litre plug-in hybrid drivetrain.
The cab-chassis will, in all probability, lower the price of entry into the Shark 6 range, and allow BYD to target fleets and broaden its appeal among tradespeople.
Launched late last year, the BYD Shark 6 has hit the ground running. This year to the end of October, 15,181 Shark 6s have been bought.
It currently sits fourth in the 4×4 ute category behind the Ford Ranger (43,924), Toyota HiLux (38,168), and Isuzu D-Max (17,905), and ahead of the Mitsubishi Triton (13,702) and Mazda BT-50 (9864).