Top 10 BYD Shark 6 Misconceptions

The BYD Shark represent a brand new class of vehicle for Australia, a series-hybrid 4×4 ute, so no wonder there’s lot of misconceptions. Hybrids and even series hybrids aren’t new, but now we’re into the 4×4/ute/tow market and these people want to understand their cars, unlike the average roadcar buyer who doesn’t really care how it works as long as it does.

I’ve summarised ten of the most common misconceptions below; feel free to add more to be addresed:

1. “It won’t run once the battery gives out and the petrol engine is too weak” – no. First, consider your ICE (petrol/diesel) vehicle. How often do you drive it flat-out, full-throttle? Not often and not for long because it’d overheat. There are periods of high throttle, for example towing up hills, but then there are periods of coasting, downhill, lighter throttle. During this time your ICE engine operates at much less than its full power. In the Shark, the generator-engine can keep going at maximum power even when you’re slowing down because it’s recharging the battery so it’s using all that time to generate power. Then, next time you need max power, the battery is good to go. That is the theory of how series hybrids works, and it does work in practice too. Audi won the Dakar with a series hybrid, and there’s loads of Nissan xPower series-hybrids getting around. Now that said, I do hope to test the Shark in difficult towing conditions, but I’m confident it’ll do the job based on the above.
2. “You’ll need to replace the battery in a few years” – no, read this.
3. “It doesn’t have differentials” – yes it does, it has two, one front, one rear. No centre, despite being AWD, as it has what I call a software powertrain. The axle diffs are not lockable.
4. “It’s an AWD not a 4X4” – it’s both. It is AWD like an LC80/100/200/300, Prado, Subaru, Defender etc. The term “AWD” may mean a road-only 4WD car, or an offroader that can drive all four wheel. Whilst the Shark is not yet proven to be a hardcore offroader, it is far more capable than a AWD car or SUV. Watch this more on AWD vs 4×4.

5. “The battery can only be charged off the engine” – no, it’s a plug-in hybrid EV. It can be slow or fast charged off a cable like any other EV. However, the engine can also charge the engine, and it has regen so when you slow down, the wheels turn the motors which become generators, and that charges the battery. More here:

6. “The petrol engine doesn’t drive the wheels” – yes it can, over about 70km/h the petrol engine can engage a clutch and direct-drive the front wheels only. This doesn’t stop it using extra power to recharge the battery, or the electric motor also helping drive. In theory this makes the Shark not a series hybrid, but it really kinda is. What’s a series hybrid? Covered here:

7. “It doesn’t need low range, it’s electric” – possibly. I have concerns about the torque output on the rear axle, we’ll need to see how well it does on steep offroad hills. Certainly BYD’s claim of a 31 degree climb isn’t very impressive when any ICE 4×4 with low range can do about 45. Gearing, people!

8. “The LFP battery can’t catch fire, it doesn’t go into thermal runaway” – any battery can catch fire, including LFP, and they are not immune to thermal runaway either. Yes I’ve seen BYD’s marketing video, the reality from researchers tells a different story and I have specifically checked it again. However, LFP does lower the fire risk from tiny to less than tiny.

9. “This is better than a Ranger Raptor, why would you buy a Raptor?!” – depends on what you mean by ‘better’. The Shark is 0.3 seconds quicker to 100km/h, can tow the same 2500kg, is much cheaper to buy and run, and has similar payload. So if that’s better by your standards, then great, it’s better. On the other hand, if you want to go offroad the Shark would be lost at the first track as the Raptor powers ahead thanks to its amazing suspension, twin lockers, better traction control, clearances, tyres…and so on. If that’s your ‘better’, then no, the Shark is not better. For me, they’re different vehicles for different purposes. Also, I might add I’d bet good money on the Raptor beating the Shark to 150km/h if we’re talking acceleration.

10. “Coils and independent suspension, it can’t take a load, that’s why the payload is low” – please stop this nonsense and watch this. I suspect the payload problem is the GVM is 3500kg, max for its class, and as it’s heavy that limits payload. The Ironman GVM upgrade (confirmed) will fix this.

Any I missed?