BYD has already shaken up Australia’s ute contest, with the plug-in hybrid Shark 6 proving to be an immediate sales hit. Now the brand is looking to shake things up even further with an all-new type of ute to try and appeal to an entirely different audience.
Car News China has published details of the brand’s second ute, which appears to be based on its Sealion 6, or at least one of its monocoque SUVs.
Images, obtained via the EU patent office, show the front end looking very similar to the new Sealion 5 SUV, rather than the boxier Shark 6, while the cabin has an SUV-like glasshouse. Crucially, at the rear there is a short tray, complete with a sports bar in the patent images.
If it is based on an SUV, like the Sealion 5 or 6, expect a plug-in hybrid powertrain that could provide all-wheel drive. But don’t expect four-wheel drive with genuine off-road capability or significant towing capacity, as this would likely be an urban-friendly ute.
While there are no official details from BYD, it appears the brand is looking to expand its ute range and go after what is a popular segment in Latin America, where smaller, SUV-based utes from the likes of Fiat, Volkswagen and Chevrolet. In the US market, where BYD doesn’t sell cars due to restrictions, the SUV-based Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz have emerged in recent years.
Given this new model has been patented in Europe, there is a strong chance it could be sold there too, which leaves the door wide open for Australia. BYD clearly knows there is an appetite for utes here, given the immediate sales success of the Shark 6, so adding a second, very different ute alternative could be a chance the Chinese brand is willing to take.
Could BYD be poised to expand the ute market into previously uncharted territory? While Ford and Hyundai have been reluctant to introduce SUV-based utes in Australia, BYD would be hoping to tap into buyers looking for adventure and limited practicality but without the need for off-road capability.
The rise of so-called ‘urban utes’, which focus on being as much a family car as a workhorse, has been a large part of the success of the Shark 6, which is already consistently amongst the best-selling 4×4 utes in Australia.
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