It’s a slightly urban hybrid ute, the first non-EV from Chinese automaker BYD.

The Shark, what will be New Zealand’s first plug-in hybrid ute, was revealed at the big Fieldays agricultural show in the Waikato.

BYD New Zealand is bullish about its prospects up against the established market leaders.

Brand manager Warren Willmot says boldly that “Utes are not dead, but the way they have previously been powered is.”

The Shark uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine making 170kW and 310Nm. It is paired with two electric motors, one
for each axle. Combined, BYD claims an output of more than 316kW and a 0-100km/h time of 5.7 seconds in hybrid mode.

The PHEV can self-charge or be plugged in and, with an 18.3kWh Blade battery pack, the EV range is around 80-100km. BYD’s DM-i tech offers up to 180kW max power and up to 1,200km combined range.

The ute will also have vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability.

Claimed fuel economy is 7.5l/100km. There’s up to 100km of electric range available thanks to BYD’s 30kWh Blade battery pack.

All-wheel drive is achieved thanks to and electric motor on the rear while the petrol engine is only connected to the front axle. There’s variable torque split and selectable modes including snow, mud and sand.

Claimed ground clearance is 282mm.

Shark is large: 5457mm long, 1971mm wide and 1925mm tall. Longer, wider and taller than a Ranger.  It has a wheelbase of 3260mm.

The Shark has a full-independent suspension and runs coil springs at the rear, boosting ride quality at the expense of tow capacity – its braked tow rating is 2,500kg, a tonne short of most in the market.

The cabin features a rotating 12.8-inch infotainment touch screen which supports CarPlay and Android Auto (pretty much expected these days), Spotify and sat nav. Other features include a wireless phone charger, 360-degree surround view camera and a head-up display.

Pricing and specification will be announced in September with deliveries likely before Christmas.