BYD Shark 6's Australia Debut Falls Flat on Towing and Payload — Will Aussies Bite?

The BYD Shark 6 falls short on towing and payload standards in Australia, but the Chinese automaker is banking on competitive pricing and the vehicle’s other features to capture the attention of Aussie motorists.

BYD Shark 6 Struggles in Towing and Payload Comparisons

The BYD Shark 6 can't hold a candle to rivals in Australia like the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger when it comes to towing capacity and cargo capacity. It won't impact sales in Australia, though, according to the Chinese carmaker.

According to Drive, BYD's electric ute can't handle more than 3,500 kg of braked towing, which is the industry standard. A ute with a payload capacity of 900 kg or more was the most popular vehicle in Australia in 2022.

American pickup vehicles sometimes boasted greater payload and towing capacities. The BYD Shark can pull 2,500 kg in the other direction and 790 kg in the other.

BYD Remains Confident Despite Performance Gap

“We’re going to have a range of 800 km (combined), 100 km on EV, you can see the design elements, you can see the payload is 790 kg. Yes, (3500 kg braked towing capacity) that’s a number, but our number’s 2500 kg, and we’re entirely comfortable with that. We think that will meet the majority of Aussie motorist’s needs and we’re super happy with that,” Israeli businessman David Smiterhman heads up EVDirect, an Australian importer for BYD.

BYD's Aggressive Market Growth Plans for Australia

As per Teslarati, the Shark 6 will be the first in a series of Chinese automakers' "aggressive" efforts to increase their market share in Australia.

BYD is confident that its competitive pricing will give it an advantage in Australia, especially when compared to the higher-priced offerings from rivals like Toyota and Ford. The automaker does not see the Shark 6’s lower towing and payload capabilities as a hindrance to its sales ambitions.

Consumer Survey Backs BYD’s Optimism

“We’ve done a survey of over 800 customers, and we’ve asked them what their needs and wants are for a vehicle and the real feedback on that is that this vehicle (Shark 6) is fit for purpose. And this vehicle will meet the needs of 90 per cent of people, and we’re entirely comfortable (with that),” Smitherman stated.