BYD Shark dethrones Raptor

Fastest Bakkie: Plug-in Hybrid Double Cab Reaches 100km/h in a Mere 5.66 Seconds

- Mark Jones

I was really looking forward to driving BYD's Shark. It's South Africa's first Plug-in Hybrid Electric bakkie. It makes stupid power, and I wanted to see if all the hype was justified.

I have seen videos online where it takes out Ford's Ranger Raptor. On the road that is, and this is something I honestly thought I would never see.

The BYD Shark has all the tech, luxury, and safety any owner could want in a bakkie. But this we have already covered in previous articles. Today is about the road test.

Now, before you say who cares how fast a bakkie is, just remember that every Ford Ranger Raptor that lands here is sold.

Nobody needs a 300kW bakkie, but seemingly everybody wants a 300kW bakkie. Talking of which, the BYD Shark produces a combined 321kW and 650Nm from a 135kW/260Nm 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine up front, plus a 170kW/310Nm electric motor on the front axle and a 150kW/340Nm one on the rear. The Ford Ranger Raptor makes 292kW and 650Nm for those that want to know.

Racelogic VBOX test equipment loaded. A claim of 5.70 seconds to 100km/h from BYD for the Shark. Which would make it by far the fastest bakkie we have tested.