The BYD Shark pickup is coming to the UK, and it’ll cost just over £47,000

BYD has announced that its Shark pickup is coming to the UK and Europe, with prices on our shores starting at a not insignificant £47,290 including VAT.

You do get quite a bit for your cash though, including a ‘Super Hybrid’ powertrain that pairs a 1.5-litre turbo four-pot with two electric motors and a hefty 32.2kWh battery pack. That means you get 430bhp, 479lb ft of torque, a 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds and just under 56 miles of all-electric range. For reference, the Ford Ranger Plug-in Hybrid gets just 277bhp, 27 miles of EV range and a price tag that just comes in under £49,000 once you’ve made your donation to HMRC.

BYD reckons that the Shark can do 419 miles in total with a full charge and a full tank, and even with a depleted battery we’re promised 29.4mpg. Recharging said battery can be done at 55kW, meaning a 30 to 80 per cent top up in 21 minutes. Oh, and there’s vehicle-to-load tech with two plug sockets to power external devices. Handy.

First unveiled for the Mexican market back in 2024, BYD also says the design takes inspiration from “the ocean's most powerful resident and an animal famed for its agility and power”. Apparently, the high-mounted headlights are designed to look like a shark’s eyes, while the heavily branded grille and lower bumper “take visual cues from the open mouth as the animal moves in to attack prey”. Right.

Inside the double-cab there’s seating for five, and you can probably figure out a way to watch Jaws on the giant 15.6in central touchscreen. You get vegan leather in there too (because Sharks are famously vegan), plus heated and ventilated front seats and a 12-speaker Dynaudio sound system.

Just one trim level will be available here in the UK, and there’s no word on whether we’ll get the ‘Performance’ variant that’s offered in Australia. That actually gets a 2.0-litre petrol engine and two electric motors for a total of 469bhp.