BYD NZ confirms $69,990 launch price for Shark 6 ute

BYD New Zealand has confirmed a launch price of $69,990 for its Shark 6 ute, pitching it at mid-spec rather than top-priced versions of the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux.

The Shark 6 is an all-wheel drive (AWD) plug-in hybrid with a battery capacity of 29.58 kWh, providing an electric range of up to 100km and a combined range of 840km. Priced from $69,990, the vehicle is designed for versatility, featuring terrain modes for mud, sand, and snow, a towing capacity of 2,500kg with trailer brakes – one of the few areas it appears to lag behind industry standards.

Under the hood, the Shark 6 boasts a hybrid system, with dual permanent magnet synchronous motors (170 kW at the front and 150 kW at the rear) delivering a 0-100km/h acceleration in just 5.7 seconds. It offers a top speed of 160 km/h and includes BYD’s Blade Battery.

The ute comes well-equipped with safety features, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and a 360-degree camera. Inside, the Shark 6 features a 15.6-inch rotating touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a premium 12-speaker Dynaudio system. Comfort is also a priority, with heated and ventilated seats, dual-zone climate control, and a wireless phone charger.

On a live stream confirming the price, Warren Willmot, general manager of BYD NZ, made a bold statement, calling the ute “our generation’s Model T.”

Willmot described the Shark 6 as a “revolution,” pointing out its impressive low-emission credentials—achieving just 46 grams of CO2 per kilometer compared to the 230 grams from traditional diesel utes. He also emphasized the vehicle’s dual benefits: “grunt without the guilt.”

With just 300 units in the first production run, Willmot encouraged interested buyers to act quickly, especially as only 50 units remain for retail buyers.

Interesting BYD is also launching with a lease offering, of $199 a week, on a 75,000km, 60 month term.

Local accessory firms have already had access to the Shark for development.

BYD won’t have the PHEV ute market to itself for long, with models incoming from Ford and Great Wall, and rumoured entrants from Mitsubishi and Nissan. BYD itself says it will follow the Shark 6 with two more ute variants.

Watch EVs and Beyond’s first drive review of the Shark below: