I replaced the gas truck with a Chinese hybrid. byd shark is great, but one thing worries me.

• Wayne Dopson runs a renovation business in Brisbane, Australia and purchased Byd Shark Hybrid Pickup in March.

• He said the driving was great compared to his old gas refueling car, but was worried that it might be outdated in a few years.

• Chinese electric car manufacturers are rapidly expanding in Australia, where duty-free, putting Tesla under pressure.

This post is based on a conversation with Wayne Dopson, project manager in Brisbane, Australia, about owning a BYD Shark Hybrid Pickup truck. It has been edited to extend length and clarity.

I’ve been in the real estate market, flipped my home and renovated it. I have a small renovation business that runs kitchen, bathroom and deck work for clients in Brisbane and I have been doing it for about 12 years.

I bought a Volkswagen Amarok diesel-powered pickup in 2015. I wanted to upgrade for a while, but nothing attracted me.

Other combustion engine trucks like Ford Ranger are very similar to the Amarok. I could have bought almost the same car with just one larger screen, so I waited for something different.

I bought the BYD Shark Hybrid Pickup in March for $64,000, which is about $41,000.

Ford and Toyota are charging ridiculous prices for their pickup trucks or Australian UTEs. You’re looking for something that costs up to $80,000, and to me, it’s far less than what Byd charges 60,000.

I only did 2,000km on sharks, so I’m still learning about this car, but so far I love driving it.

Technology, strength and stability – decades before Amarok.

Cheap luxury and power

The level of luxury goods inside is incredible. I own Audis and BMWs and it feels as solid as a quality car and built as good as it is. It can also perform speeds of 0 to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds, so it drives like a sports car.

I use it primarily for work and leisure, and there are several advantages to using it at work.

Running it every day is just a cost to me. I have 30 solar panels on my roof, so the electricity during the day is free.

I paid eight cents per kWh from 12am to 6am, which was enough time to charge the car – it would take three to four hours.

If I set the car to charge for midnight, it would be around 4am, and the usual price is less than two dollars, or $1.03. I use $13 or $14 ($8-9) worth of diesel per day at the Volkswagen Amarok, so running is very cheap.

Another advantage is that you have a power outlet at the back of the truck that provides about six kW of power, and you can use power tools on site.

It has a very large tray with a few tips on it. You can quickly press the buttons to turn on the tailgate, which is convenient if you walk with your hands.

Range is not a problem

Sharks are what they call EREV or electric cars that extend range. It has two electric motors on the front and rear, and also has a 1.5-liter petrol turbine engine that works as a generator.

The gasoline engine means range anxiety is not a thing for me.

Usually I have to do less than 100km a day, which will be done in electric mode, but if I want to go to the beach or beach further off the coast, I have a gas engine there.

It just boots up and charges the battery, and I’m glad I’m going to ride 800km.

The only thing that worries me is the resale value. I’ve seen new cars from Nissan, Ford and Big City.

Currently, this technology is moving forward like crazy, so my shark may be quite outdated in five years.

It has a six-year warranty and I intend to keep it during the warranty period. Finally, anyone’s guess is worth it.

Byd takes roots in Australia

I think it’s great to have more Chinese electric car brands in Australia. Our warranty and quality cars are getting longer and longer.

UTE is a very important part of Australian culture. One of the problems that Byd Shark will face is that it doesn’t have the same off-road credentials as a vehicle with a differential lock – the shaft mechanism you need to crawl over rocky and rough terrain.

It’s good in the sand and mud, but when it comes to very serious off-roading you’re climbing up huge hills with ruts and boulders, which will struggle.

For me, though, the shark is great. It was great to drive, it was great to be able to walk around, knowing that it was not my loss and not spending money.

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