Hyperdrive
BYD’s Hybrid Pickup Targets Australia’s Love of Gas-Guzzlers
Kia is also seeking to crack a lucrative market dominated by Toyota and Ford
BYD’s Shark 6 hybrid pickup
Source: BYD
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One of the world’s safest havens for fuel-guzzling pickups is set for its biggest shakeup in years with the arrival of new models including the first hybrid off-roader from China’s BYD Co.
Australia, famed for its love of gasoline-powered SUVs and trucks, has cemented its status as an electric-vehicle laggard. EV sales slumped 25% in the third quarter from the previous three months and accounted for just 6.6% of the market, according to the Australian Automobile Association. That’s their lowest share since 2022.