After making a lot of noise in the South American and Mexican markets, the BYD Shark 6 DM-o made its way to Cambodia for its Southeast Asian debut. Most recently, BYD Cars brought its plug-in hybrid pickup to the 2024 Thailand International Motor Show, signaling another ASEAN release.
New-energy pickup trucks aren’t that new out west, but in the Philippines and in neighboring nations, that specific market segment is still in its infancy. So for BYD to bring its pickup to this side of the world and challenge beloved stalwarts like the Toyota Hilux, it just might be one of the tallest orders in the automotive industry today.
If Americans love the full-size Ford F-150, Filipinos love midsize trucks like the Toyota Hilux and the Ford Ranger. And that love is shared throughout the world, but the growing adoption of new-energy powertrains is undeniable, and the local shift to PHEVs and EVs is in large part to BYD and its local distributor, ACMobility.
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In Thailand, a right-hand-drive BYD Shark 6 DM-o stood tall on the convention floor in an aggressive and daunting stance. This is clearly BYD’s workhorse that should be able to handle itself over any terrain while providing market-leading performance (for its price point).
While we won’t really be able to confirm that unless it makes a local debut and we get to put it through a local test drive, the numbers it produces consistently pique our interest.
The BYD Shark 6 DM-o packs a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine that works in junction with two motors, forming an AWD system. That system then produces 435hp and 650Nm of torque, and can accelerate from 0-100kph in 5.7sec. With a combined driving range of up 840km, the Shark 6 can definitely make some interesting arguments to sway brand-new pickup buyers in this day and age.
Pricing is another consideration altogether as BYD Cars currently has some of the most competitive prices in the local market. If the carmaker can bring the Shark 6 over to the Philippines and place it under P2 million, then we might have a real fight.
