BYD seems to be planning to launch its electric pickup truck offering in foreign markets soon, as hinted by the recent public appearances of the model while testing on Australian roads.
Imminent roll out
BYD’s electric pickup truck development has been going on for several years now, with local media Car News China spotting test prototypes of the model at the Chinese automaker’s facility in November 2022.
In the following year, the electric pickup appeared on Chinese roads for its testing requisites. Despite its camouflage, spies managed to spot the charging port clearly on the right side.
In addition, a patent filing that emerged in October 2023 revealed that the rugged electric pickup truck looks like a Ford F-150 or a new Toyota Tacoma.
What’s currently known about the rugged electric pickup?
Former Lamborghini and Audi designer Wolfgang Egger also noted that the BYD e-pickup features a huge “BYD” symbol upfront.
Its front fascia also sports a huge grille and rugged fenders. According to Chinese media, the new model will have a length of around 209 inches. In that sense, the BYD e-truck will be somewhat shorter than the Toyota Tacoma’s 225-inch length.
It has a blocky shape with stacked double LED headlights. It also features side steps, while previous reports suggest the model will be a dual-cab five-seater.
BYD threatens Ford’s dominance in the e-truck market
The imminent arrival of BYD’s new rugged electric pickup will significantly challenge the current dominance of Ford’s F-150 Lightning in the electric pickup truck market.
BYD Mexico’s Head recently announced via Nikkei that the Chinese NEV giant is mulling a new factory in the country. It is apparently part of BYD’s plans to build an export hub to the US market.
Therefore, the new rugged electric pickup hints at BYD’s intentions to target Ford’s sweet spot in this market segment. In 2023, the F-150 Lightning advanced as the top-selling electric truck in the US. The arrival of the Tesla Cybertruck has further intensified the competition, with more than 2 million reservation holders already.
As hinted by the recent appearance of test models overseas, the BYD rugged electric pickup is likely on track to launch in the Australian market as the highly-awaited right-hand drive offering. The Chinese automaker will then follow the new model’s debut in its other key markets, like South Africa.
