BYD's Shark 6 ute, the first plug-in hybrid ute to go on sale in New Zealand, has been awarded a 5 Star safety rating by local safety body ANCAP.
The Shark 6 scored 85% for Adult Occupant Protection, 95% for Child Occupant Protection, 74% for Pedestrian/Vulnerable Road User Protection and 86% for Safety Assist.
As well as its extensive range of standard safety features including dual frontal airbags, side chest and side head-protecting airbags, the Shark 6 also features a centre airbag designed to protect the front-seat occupants in side-impact crashes.
“With all BYD’s current models having now earned top ANCAP safety ratings, it’s evident that new manufacturers are prioritising safety as they enter the market to align with consumer demands," said ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg.
"For fleets and individuals looking to electrify their light commercial Ute range, the Shark 6 presents a new five-star plug-in hybrid option”.
Warren Willmot, BYD New Zealand’s General Manager said it was excellent news to receive for the recently launched ute.
"The Shark 6 ticks all the boxes regarding available features, benefits and now top of the line safety standards, making it an even more desirable vehicle for New Zealand Consumers," Willmot said.
"It’s also important to note that every BYD model that has entered the New Zealand market has achieved a 5-star safety rating, and all have also won local awards, so the BYD brand is continuing to go from strength to strength both nationally and globally in a highly competitive NEV market."
The Shark 6 is the first plug-in hybrid ute to go on sale in New Zealand and is powered by a 135kW/260Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that mainly acts as a generator supplying power to a 29.6kWh battery (although it is capable of driving the wheels directly under specific circumstances at speeds of over 70km/h).
For the majority of the time the wheels are driven by a pair of electric motors – a 170kW/310Nm on on the front axle and a 150kW/340Nm one on the rear axle – for a total combined peak output of 321kW of power and 650Nm of torque.
