China’s BYD has just launched a hybrid pickup truck that has no rival in America – see the Shark

• Chinese company BYD Auto launched its all-new Shark plug-in hybrid pickup truck in Mexico on Tuesday.

• The BYD Shark’s hybrid drive system produces 430 horsepower and offers an all-electric range of 62 miles.

• The Shark starts at $54,000 in Mexico but is not for sale in the United States.

BYD presented its new Shark plug-in hybrid pickup truck in Mexico on Tuesday. This is the company’s first truck and the first product launched outside its home market of China.

Mexico is becoming increasingly important in BYD’s global strategy, which aims to expand into North America, although the company has made clear in recent months that it has no plans to enter the market American anytime soon.

As a result, the Shark will not be available in the United States but will go on sale in Mexico at a starting price of around US$54,000, or 899,980 pesos.

Therefore, the Shark mid-size hybrid will directly target major global players like Toyota Hilux and Nissan Navarra.

In the United States, the BYD Shark would have competed with mid-size pickup mainstays like the Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, Nissan Frontier, and Ford Ranger.

However, no mid-size plug-in hybrid pickup trucks are on sale in the United States. The Tacoma offers a hybrid but does not have the option of being plugged in.

The Shark is built on BYD’s super hybrid off-road platform.

Power for the BYD Sharks comes from a longitudinally mounted 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and two electric drive motors. Together they produce a total system output of 430 hp.

According to BYD, the Shark can go from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.7 seconds.

Thanks to the hybrid system, the Shark does not have a traditional mechanical all-wheel drive system.

Instead, it sends power to the rear axle via an electric drive motor.

The Shark comes with a 29.6 kWh battery.

According to BYD, the Shark has an all-electric range of 62 miles. The company also claims the pickup has a maximum combined range of 522 miles with the battery fully charged and a full tank of gas.

According to BYD, the Shark can tow up to 2,500 kg or 5,512 lbs.

Don’t expect to do much towing on just the battery.

Aesthetically, the Shark’s aggressive look is the work of BYD’s design team led by Wolfgang Egger.

According to BYD, Egger, the former chief designer at Audi and Alfa Romeo, was inspired by the aquatic predator after which the truck was named. In fact, the grille is inspired by the open mouth of a shark.

At 215 inches long, the Shark is a few inches longer than the standard-wheelbase Ford Ranger SuperCrew and Nissan Frontier. However, it’s about a foot shorter than stretched versions of the Frontier and long-bed Toyota Tacoma.

Inside, the Shark’s cabin is highlighted by a head-up display, a 10.25-inch LCD digital instrument display and an impressive 12.8-inch central infotainment screen.

The 12.8-inch screen can change orientation between portrait and landscape. It also comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as built-in apps for navigation, karaoke and music streaming.

The Shark is also equipped with a 540-degree panoramic camera.

BYD’s 540-degree surround camera system is a 360-degree camera coupled with a 180-degree landing gear view camera. The undercarriage camera is designed to help drivers get a better view of the terrain while off-road.

The Shark comes with a suite of advanced safety features, including adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and automatic emergency braking.

Like Tesla’s Cybertruck, the Shark’s features can be controlled via a smartphone which can also be used as a key.

Tesla has long been a pioneer in using its mobile app as an NFC key for vehicles.

The Shark’s hybrid system can be used to power campsites or construction sites.

These days, most electric trucks are loaded with electrical outlets for the job site or campsite.

Read the original article on Business Insider