By the end of March, the Ford Ranger Raptor will no longer be the most powerful bakkie in South Africa.
That accolade will be bestowed upon the new BYD Shark which is set to make its market debut before the calendar clicks over to April.
A plug-in hybrid, the new BYD outperforms the Ford by 29kW and 67Nm, allowing it to achieve some impressive feats.
The Chinese double cab can sprint to 100km/h in a mere 5.7 seconds, its maker claims, while also being able to travel up to 800km on a single top-up of the electric and petrol “tanks.”
In comparison, unofficial testing has shown that the 3.0-litre, V6 Raptor does the deed in around 6.0 seconds while its maximum range is pegged at 696km.
It’s also been rumoured that BYD is targeting a sub-R1 million price tag for its ferocious Shark, which would see it undercut the Raptor by a minimum of R270,000.
At least on paper, it appears that the Chinese bakkie has the American beat in most every metric, now it’s just a waiting game to see if it will be able to do so out in the wild.
What to expect
The Shark is equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine complemented by two e-motors, one at the front and one at the rear.
The system generates a healthy output of 321kW and 650Nm, which we have now established is more than any other bakkie currently for sale in South Africa.
As is generally the case with semi-electric setups, top speed is limited to a rather low 160km/h, though this shouldn’t have much bearing on your everyday driving.
The Chinese bakkie supports a maximum payload capacity of 790kg as well as a decent maximum braked towing capacity of 2,500kg.
It’s still off-road capable despite the electricity in its veins, too.
Ground clearance comes in at 230mm and its approach and departure angles at 31 and 19.3 degrees, respectively.
It also boasts a water-wading depth of 700mm, which is below the Ranger but on par with the nation’s best-selling bakkie, the Toyota Hilux.
Courtesy of the hybrid setup the BYD comes with a sizeable 29.58kWh battery pack which enables a driving range of 100km on nothing but electrons.
As with many of the manufacturer’s other vehicles, the Shark also supports Vehicle-to-Load functionality that enables the owner to charge or power external devices using unspent charge.
The Shark will be among the biggest entries in the bakkie segment upon its arrival, with imposing dimensions of 5,457mm in length, 1,971mm in width, and 1,925mm in height.
This is significantly bigger than the Hilux and Ranger, and almost equal to the new GWM P500 which will undoubtedly be the BYD’s biggest competitor.
It also boasts a wide assortment of creature comforts sure to satisfy the most discerning of double cab buyers.
The highlights encompass a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, electric seats with heating and ventilation wrapped in imitation leather, a 50W wireless charging pad, dual-zone climate control, a heads-up display, and adaptive LED lights.
A large, rotatable 15.6-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is included, too, which is hooked up to a 12-speaker stereo.
Future customers can furthermore expect a an extensive suite of driver assistance systems, such as 360-degree cameras, intelligent cruise control, lane-departure warning and prevention, blind-spot detection, traffic sign recognition, and front and rear cross-traffic alert.
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