The cat’s out of the bag: The BYD Shark 6 DMO is on the way to the Philippines. We’re looking forward to it, and we know a lot of you guys are excited about it, too.
We don’t have a lot of details yet, though, apart from the fact that it’ll be unveiled in March. In the meantime, what we can do is speculate on (or wish for) the possible specs of the hybrid pickup, and we’ve done just that. We’ve listed four main things we want to see in the Shark 6 DMO once it officially launches here in the Philippines.
1) Exceptional fuel efficiency.
The BYD Shark 6 DMO comes with a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine paired with two electric motors that send 430hp and 650Nm of torque to all four wheels. The power is clearly there, with the pickup capable of doing 0-100kph in just 5.7sec. What we want to see more of, though, is its actual fuel efficiency.
The other DM-i models have proven to be extra thrifty when it comes to gas consumption, and we’re betting on the Shark 6 DMO to be the same. The pickup segment is stacked enough as it is, but it’s not exactly stacked with fuel-efficient trucks. If the Shark 6 DMO proves to be economic enough, that’s already one ace up its sleeve.
2) Multiple variants.
Only one variant of the Sealion 6 DM-i is available, but there were two introduced for the Seal 5 DM-i. We’re hoping BYD Cars Philippines decides to make more than one trim level available for the Shark, as that will also make the price range more flexible and cater to more buyers.
If there’s a base trim with a smaller battery and less range than the top-spec variant, then that could help bolster the lineup, especially since there’s no 2WD variant available.
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3) Proper off-road-ready tires.
It’s hit or miss when it comes to tires. Some manufacturers like going big like putting Michelin Pilot Sport tires on regular passenger cars, while some scrimp and put low-quality road tires on 4x4 trucks and SUVs. We hope BYD’s the former.
With more variants as we previously mentioned, it opens up the possibility of adding a higher trim with a more off-road-oriented setup equipped with, say, A/T tires straight out of the dealership.
4) An affordable price tag.
The Sealion 6 DM-i and Seal 5 DM-i have very competitive price tags. You can even add the likes of the Seagull to that list, too. But there’s a sort-of-outlier in the stable which is the fully electric Seal, stickering for well above P2 million. If BYD Cars Philippines follows the formula of its more affordable offerings—not its premium EV—and price the Shark reasonably enough, it might have another best-seller on its hands.
