As the Biden Administration hikes tariffs to keep Chinese EVs out of the U.S., one of that country’s largest automakers is continuing its push into America’s southern neighbor.
Just hours after President Biden announced a quadrupling of tariffs on Chinese EVs to over 100% as part of a new round of tariff increases, BYD unveiled a new plug-in hybrid pickup truck for the Mexican market, Reuters reports. It’s available only in that country, marking the first time BYD has launched a new product outside its home country of China, the report adds.
The Shark competes with midsize trucks like the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma that are popular in the U.S., but also boasts 62 miles of electric range and the equivalent of 31.4 mpg, according to Reuters, which cites specs from a BYD brochure.
BYD Shark plug-in hybrid pickup
The Shark will also be more expensive than most versions of rival pickups in Mexico, Reuters notes, with starting prices of 899,980 pesos (equivalent to $53,442 at current exchange rates) for the base Shark GL and 969,800 pesos ($57,588) for the high-end Shark GS.
BYD chose Mexico as the launch market for the Shark because of anticipated rapid growth in demand for pickups, Stella Li, the company’s chief of Americas, said in an interview with Reuters. Li added that BYD plans to build a factory in Mexico, but has no plans to sell vehicles in the U.S. and is thus unaffected by the tariff hikes.
BYD Shark plug-in hybrid pickup
While U.S. consumers won’t have the opportunity to sample the Shark, several other automakers are planning (or at least considering) plug-in hybrid pickup trucks of different sizes.
The 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger will offer a V-6 and big battery in its series-hybrid layout aiming for 145 miles of electric range in a full-size pickup. Rival General Motors is also reportedly rushing ahead with plug-in hybrid pickups as it rethinks an EV-heavy product strategy.
Volkswagen is also reportedly considering a plug-in hybrid pickup for America—perhaps closer in size to the BYD Shark than the Ram and GM trucks. Nissan is also considering hybrid pickups, potentially taking advantage of the Mitsubishi-based plug-in hybrid system allowed through its alliance.
