BYD has confirmed its first pick-up, the Shark, will be sold in the UK.

Offered elsewhere as the Shark 6, it is a plug-in hybrid rival for the Ford Ranger. 

The specification of UK-market Sharks remains to be confirmed, but in Australia it is available with a choice of turbocharged 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre petrol engines.

Both are paired with two electric motors (one per axle) for combined outputs of 430bhp and 470lb ft with the 1.5-litre, or 470bhp and 516lb ft with the 2.0-litre. 

In either instance, the pick-up is driven primarily by its electric motors. According to official WLTP testing, it is capable of covering 50 miles under electric power alone. Its 29.6kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery pack can be charged at up to 55kW and it can also be used to power external devices.

The Shark is a double-cab pick-up with five seats, a 1450-litre cargo bed and a maximum payload capacity of 835kg. The 1.5-litre model can tow braked trailers weighing up to 1500kg, while the 2.0-litre can manage 2500kg. Both can tow unbraked trailers of up to 750kg.

It remains to be seen whether other bodystyles that are offered globally, such as a chassis-cab, will be sold in the UK.

BYD has yet to confirm UK pricing for the Shark but it is likely to undercut the Ford Ranger PHEV, which starts from £40,830 (excluding VAT).