UPGRADED BYD Shark 6 2026: 3.5T towing, locking diffs, 300km EV range, cab-chassis and everything else we know

Few newly launched autos own mercurial gained repute rather love the BYD Shark 6, which has launched accurate into a nigh-unpenetrable ute culture, apparently breaking the mildew and appearing to discipline a brand new one.

However the Shark 6 isn’t but the ute that can construct all things for all other folk. And as BYD looks to crawl more sales in 2026, the Chinese marque will toughen its more and more widespread pickup to originate it larger suited and more appealing to a broader fluctuate of shoppers.

As BYD Australia expands its off-avenue choices in 2026 with its Denza B5 and B8 SUVs, Chasing Vehicles sat down with chief working officer, Stephen Collins, at the new gadgets’ native begin to chat about its only-promoting mannequin.

Valid particulars will can be found in the subsequent few months, however what Collins shared, combined with previous experiences, paints an exhilarating image for what’s to come help for the Shark 6. Here’s all the pieces we know about the drawing shut upgrades to the ute fluctuate.

Listed here:

• When it arrives
• Grades and body kinds
• Pricing adjustments
• Towing and payload
• Off-avenue skill
• Ev riding fluctuate

When will the new BYD Shark 6 arrive?

Legit particulars for the upgraded Shark 6 will likely be introduced in the subsequent few months, with the updated mannequin expected to accelerate on sale round mid-year, or a shrimp little bit of later.

Are more BYD Shark 6 grades and body kinds coming?

Positive, most no doubt.

In outlining BYD Australia’s year forward in 2026, Collins made it determined that mercurial sales will likely be a centered role for the importer’s sales growth. Naturally, a cab-chassis version of the Shark 6 would swimsuit this aim.

This would give tradies and varied commercial operators the flexibility to customize their Shark 6 for the responsibilities required, without working into any problems with the factory car warranty.

It’s that it is most likely you’ll imagine we could well also look a more inside your means, de-specced ‘Foremost’ version of the Shark – on condition that the most as a lot as date ‘Top price’ packs a prolonged gear list – along with a brand new flagship grade with lifted off-avenue suspension, bigger tyres as regular and varied larger mechanical hardware. More on that below.

Will the BYD Shark 6 tag amplify in Australia?

The absolute best merchandise on the list of doable adjustments for the Shark 6 is the one thing that obtained’t: pricing. At least that’s the advice per BYD Australia.

Priced at $57,900 before on-roads since begin in early 2025 (though usually more cost-effective attributable to sales gives), the sole Top price grade is fiercely tag-aggressive in section, pondering its regular-match hasten-in hybrid drivetrain. Here’s a key promoting level BYD is alive to to protect.

“What we wish to construct is protect the value for money of Shark, we don’t deserve to deserve to reposition it when it involves tag, so tag for us with Shark is extremely fundamental”, Collins said.

“Our technique is to tag properly and value aggressively, however it without a doubt’s also to protect that integrity because we know going forward that from a residual standpoint, that’s true so, so severe. We don’t deserve to be adjusting costs your complete time.”

That said, it’s laborious to accelerate attempting upgrades being added for free and if new grades, which could be more pricey and/or succesful, are added to the lineup. We’d seek data from costs to climb no now not as a lot as a shrimp little bit of, with any new grades above the Top price potentially closing in on the $70,000 fluctuate.

Will the BYD Shark 6’s towing and payload skill amplify?

A crawl from a 2500kg towing skill to the enterprise regular 3500kg has already been confirmed by BYD senior administration.

It’s expected that payload will also amplify along with the added towing skill. Currently sitting at 790kg, payload is anticipated to rise to a level more on par with rival twin cabs, which could be in overall rated between 930kg and 1050kg.

To meet these figures, the Shark will likely need balance upgrades along with doable adjustments to its powertrain.

WIll the BYD Shark 6 red meat up its off-avenue skill?

The Shark 6 sits on the identical platform because the Denza B5 which has true been introduced to Australia.

It’s fundamental to present the Shark 6 is ‘AWD’ now not ‘4×4’, providing no low-fluctuate functionality or locking differentials. At uncover, the Shark 6 is fully reliant on an digital traction administration machine, which has proven to be poorly calibrated for off-avenue responsibilities in attempting out.

The prolonged ride Shark 6 could well also adopt the B5’s DMO drivetrain, which steps up energy outputs from 321kW/650Nm to 425kW/760Nm and aspects locking differentials front and rear, along with a two-bustle rear transmission with a low-fluctuate recede gear.

BYD now has a personnel of five beefy-time engineering workers essentially essentially essentially based in Australia, working in conjunction with two dedicated groups help in China. Collectively, as well they are able to fair work to red meat up the calibration of the off-avenue tech, as well to sort out points with the hasten and handling that has been illustrious in attempting out by Chasing Vehicles and an expansion of others.

Will the BYD Shark 6 gather more electrical riding fluctuate?

With this new drivetrain comes a doable step up in riding fluctuate, with the most as a lot as date B8 SUV sporting a a shrimp little bit of larger 36.8kWh battery (versus 29.5kWh) – however an very excellent larger version can be on the horizon.

China’s motoring press is reporting the growth of a brand new machine identified as DM-i 6.0, which aspects 900V architecture the exhaust of a brand new LFP battery to construct an electrical riding fluctuate as a lot as 300km.

Admittedly, this narrate could well be per the rather lenient China Light-accountability Test Cycle (CLTC), however this would detached be a famous boost in riding fluctuate, and clearly, energy which could be utilised by the V2L machine.