Beware Toyota HiLux, look out Ford Ranger! BYD reveals plug-in ute headed for Aussie sale soon

April 5, 2024April 5, 2024 John Mahoney 15912 Views BYD, ford, HiLux, ranger, Toyota, ute

Chinese car-making giant BYD has released its first official pictures of the all-new mid-size ute that will challenge the best-selling Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger when it lands in Australia later this year.

Part-developed by a crack team of engineers Down Under, the unnamed BYD ute has already undergone extensive local testing and is claimed to have been tailored to our punishing roads.

When it arrives it will also meet the demands of Aussie ute buyers, say BYD’s local bosses. But the star of the show will be what lurks under the bonnet.

Instead of a typical turbo-diesel the new Chinese-made ute gets an advanced petrol-electric plug-in powertrain that is rumoured to offer a range of more than 1000km while being capable of covering up to 100km on pure-electric power alone.

Combining a small 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol with a large electric motor there’s no word on just how powerful the new electrified ute will be.

But rumours suggest the total output will be in excess of 364kW – more than 70kW more than the fastest Ford Ranger Raptor.

As well as being powerful, thanks to the new plug-in hybrid’s 100km EV range it should offer some of the lowest running costs in the business for tradies, at least those who use their truck in urban environments.

As far as look go, the new images published by Car New China and autohome among other Chinese media, suggest the BYD will ape the Ford Ranger and come with a pair of large C-shaped LED headlight clusters and a blocky US-grille complete with larger ‘BYD’ lettering.

The orange and blue camo can’t hide the wide arches and the BYD’s tough boxy looks. It’s also worth noting the dual-cab gains a wide sports bar and a relatively short bed. Conventional door mirrors and door handles, plus a set of roof rails complete the look.

When it arrives the BYD will be almost identical in sized to some of Australia’s most popular dual-cab 4×4 utes and measure in at roughly 5.4 metres long and 1.9 metres wide.

Not shown is some of the advanced new tech that the Chinese pick-up will introduced to its class that includes an augmented reality head-up display and the option of an active suspension that could, along with a multi-link rear suspension, raise the bar for comfort and handling.

There’s still no word when exactly the BYD ute will be fully unwrapped but it’s believed that the Chinese car-maker could use Beijing motor show as the venue for its global launch later this month.