The Italian brand’s pickup, known for its great success in Brazil, will face more competition for top sales positions. Chinese automaker BYD will join the competition, as they are working on expanding their pickup range, which will be named Shark.
Fiat Strada will soon face new competition: BYD enters the hybrid pickup segment
In the coming years, at least two new models are expected to enter the market, with the possibility of seeing these innovations in Brazil as well. The Chinese brand’s strategy would include developing a compact and flexible hybrid pickup, specifically designed to compete with the Fiat Strada and intended for local Brazilian production.
According to reports from some local magazines, BYD has already sent several Fiat Strada units to China for analysis and evaluation. The collected information would confirm that the project has been tailored for the Brazilian market. Although there isn’t an official launch date yet, the plan includes producing the new model at the Camaçari plant in Bahia, Brazil.
The Chinese company’s vehicle will be equipped with a hybrid engine, likely inspired by the Fiat Strada‘s configuration, with a rigid rear axle and spring suspension. The future BYD pickup, nicknamed “baby Shark,” could be available in both single and double cab versions. The powertrain is expected to be based on the 1.5 DM-i Atkinson cycle engine, already used in the Song Pro, Song Plus, and King models. However, it’s not yet clear whether the vehicle will adopt a traditional hybrid system (HEV) or a plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
Interestingly, the Shark, already known as Brazil’s first plug-in hybrid pickup, is not currently for sale in China. Furthermore, it wasn’t even displayed at the recent Guangzhou Motor Show. BYD seems to be consolidating its growth in the Brazilian market by following market references such as the vehicle produced by Fiat.