BYD pick-up: China attacks Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux

BYD, one of China’s largest car companies, is currently best known to us for its electric vehicles. However, BYD offers everything that has wheels, from small cars to coaches. It’s only one person to take so far, but that will change in the future. The fact that BYD is bringing a truck in the form of Ford Ranger was already officially announced through patent drawings in 2023. At the beginning of April, the manufacturer distributed the first pictures of the car. Two weeks later, the possible name of the mid-sized pickup was leaked from a patent application.

In Australia, BYD has registered the brand names “King” and “Shark” (the English name for shark) as trademarks. Australia is said to be one of the first markets that BYD wants to compete in with the new pick-up. Although there are still rumors about the name “King”, the shark seems plausible because of BYD’s previous marine names (see BYD Dolphin and BYD Seal) and also because of the stylized shark fins on the side of the closed pick – up.

Ford Ranger as a model

Official photos of the pick-up covered in orange-blue camouflage film make it clear that BYD has taken a cue from the Ford Ranger more than once in its design. Lamps with a rotating LED bar, but also lamps with two different light units, clearly mention the model. BYD itself is talking about a Toyota Hilux-sized car (which measures 5335/1855/1815 mm length/width/height) for the new car, which has yet to be named.

What is remarkable about the modern cabin with a loading area that is almost 1.5 meters long is the large radiator grill that is designed towards the front, otherwise there is no extravagance of styling. The bracket on the loading area is closed on the side, but it consists of two tubes. Another detail, however, is interesting: the BYD pickup has fuel tank scoops on the left and right side of the loading bed. This means that the original idea that the new truck could be an electric car is off the table. Instead, it will be a hybrid of plugins.

More technical data is not yet known. Gate CarNewsChina however, it assumes an electric range of around 100 and a total range of up to 1,000 km. Unlike its competitors, the new pick-up should also rely on independent rear suspension.