BYD Shark 6 cab-chassis cleared for Australia

BYD has secured Australian approval for a Shark cab-chassis, targeting fleet operators, tradies and tourers who prefer to customise their vehicles.

Reports indicate that certification documents confirm the new variant sticks closely to the dual-cab ute’s front-end design and fundamental dimensions, including its 3260mm wheelbase and 2500kg braked towing rating. The key change is at the rear: the factory tub is gone, leaving a bare chassis ready for custom trays, tool modules or canopy setups.

Dropping the tub reduces tare mass to 2565kg – 110kg lighter than the tray-equipped modeL – while gross vehicle mass remains at 3500kg. That gives the cab-chassis a usable payload of 935kg before any tray or storage system is fitted, a considerable lift over the pick-up’s 790kg figure.

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Underneath, the drivetrain is unchanged. The Shark continues with its plug-in hybrid setup centred on a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine paired with electric motors for a combined 321kW and 650Nm. A 29.6kWh battery supports around 100km of electric-only driving in the pick-up; range figures for the cab-chassis haven’t been detailed.

Pricing and an exact on-sale date are still to come, though the cab-chassis is expected to become the most affordable Shark variant when it lands. BYD has not announced timing, but approval suggests a launch in the near term.

Earlier this year, BYD filed a patent for a smaller ute to sit beneath the Shark in its model hierarchy. Emerging in European patent filings, this model appears to use a monocoque, car-based platform, prioritising comfort and on-road performance rather than heavy-duty off-road use.