BYD, short for Build Your Dreams, has shown immense growth over the past few years, becoming the first manufacturer to produce 10 million new-energy vehicles.

By offering the most powerful bakkie in South Africa, with a host of firsts for the segment, at under R1 million, the ambitious carmaker is confident of making inroads.

The BYD Shark, the first plug-in hybrid bakkie in the country, is powered by what the manufacturer calls a Dual Mode Offroad powertrain. This is a combination of a 1,5ℓ turbocharged petrol engine producing 170kW of power and 310Nm of torque, and a 29,5kWh battery hooked up to a 150kW/340Nm electric motor.

Taking the raptor’s throne

The result is an eye-watering total of 321kW of power and 650Nm of torque. This is 28kW/67Nm more than the previous most powerful bakkie offered locally, the Ford Ranger Raptor.

With a claimed 0 to 100km/h sprint time of 5,7 seconds, the Shark is set to dethrone the Raptor’s 6,9-second sprint as the fastest bakkie in South Africa.

But besides gunning for the same sprint record, comparing the Shark and R1,27 million Raptor is not really comparing apples with apples. The Raptor is a high-performance four-wheel drive off-road bakkie with a low transfer case with rear diff-lock and bespoke suspension. This enables the Raptor’s thrilling Baja driving mode for high-performance off-road endeavours.

Clever battery tech

The BYD does not have a low transfer case or diff-lock. It has double wishbone independent suspension in the front and rear, with all-wheel drive (AWD) dual electric motor at the rear. The AWD offers a choice of four terrain modes: Sand, Mud, Snow and Mount.

The electric hybrid system offers four driving modes: EV, hybrid series, hybrid parallel, and engine direct. EV mode uses only battery power and engine direct only the turbo mill. Hybrid parallel sees the electric motor and engine working together, while hybrid series ensures the battery is charged from the engine.

BYD claims that the Shark will only sip 9,6ℓ/100km and has a pure electric range of 85km.

Interior

The Shark features plush sedan-like finishes. It features a bakkie-first head-up display, heated/ventilated front sports seats, a rotatable 15,6-inch infotainment system, and rear seats at a 27° angle.

It comes standard with roll bar and tow bar, and also a bakkie-first electric lowering tailgate.

What’s the verdict?

A brief launch drive on the internal roads of an office park was not too revealing, other than the fact that the Shark has got serious bite when you step on the accelerator: 100km/h from a standstill came up briskly and quietly.

The double-wishbone independent suspension at the front and rear make for a plush ride, albeit the road was in perfect condition.

Only time will tell if the Shark is tough enough to withstand South African conditions.
Despite its price, few buyers will be brave enough to opt for such a dark horse over the established runners.