BYD’s Cybertruck Rival ‘Shark’ Gears Up For China Launch Following Global Rollout

BYD is preparing to bring its Shark hybrid pickup truck to the Chinese market after launching it across several global regions. 

BYD’s general manager of brand and public relations, Li Yunfei, confirmed on Weibo that the domestic launch is “in the planning stages” and will happen “sooner or later.” Li, currently in Mexico, shared images of the Shark displayed in a local showroom, according to a report by CnEVPost.

The model first debuted in Mexico on May 14, 2024, marking a rare instance where BYD unveiled a new vehicle abroad before releasing it in China.

The Shark, BYD’s first-ever pickup model, was introduced overseas earlier in 2024, just months after Tesla began deliveries of its fully electric Cybertruck in the U.S. The decision to prioritize international markets reflects China’s restrictive urban policies toward pickup trucks, which have historically limited the category's growth. 

According to the China Passenger Car Association, pickup sales in China rose 7% year-on-year to 369,000 units between January and August 2025, while new energy pickup sales soared 536% to 49,000 units. For comparison, overall new energy vehicle retail sales reached 8.8 million units during the same period, representing a 23.4% increase.

The Shark is derived from BYD's DMO (Dual Mode Off-Road) platform, a plug-in hybrid powertrain featuring two electric motors with a combined system output of over 430 horsepower. It achieves a 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 160 km/h. 

BYD is entering the global pickup market with the Shark, a segment currently dominated by other models. It competes with the Toyota Hilux and the Tesla Cybertruck. 

While Tesla’s pickup remains exclusive to the U.S., BYD’s approach focuses on emerging and established markets outside America. So far, the Shark has launched in Mexico, Brazil, Panama, Cambodia, Australia, and Pakistan, with 11,038 units exported from China in 2024.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for BYD was ‘neutral’ amid ‘low’ message volume.

BYD’s stock has risen 26% so far in 2025.

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.

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