2025 BYD Shark 6 ute clocks up 1000 orders in four hours, high ...

Eight hundred orders were placed for the new plug-in hybrid ute in the minutes before BYD's website crashed due to high demand.

More than 800 orders for the 2025 BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute were placed before the brand's website crashed shortly after orders opened in Australia.

The overwhelming demand for the Shark 6 ute, pricing for which was revealed on Tuesday night as $57,900 before on-road costs, has far exceeded the company's expectations, according to the boss of its local distributor.

Orders opened at approximately 7:30pm Sydney and Melbourne time on Tuesday 29 October, shortly after which the website crashed.

By 11:10pm, the website had come back online – and a further 200 orders had been placed.

"It's exciting. It's much more than we anticipated – we've had 800 orders already so far," said David Smitherman, CEO of BYD's local importer EVDirect told Australian media including Drive after the website crashed.

"We've got 2000 cars on their way, for delivery in December and January, but we're already asking for 1000 more, and maybe even more after that."

Smitherman said he believes sharp pricing is driving the demand – with punters likely keen to stand the best chance of taking advantage of tax breaks on PHEVs ending in April – though it's also expected the Shark 6 will be popular with fleets due to its green credentials and aim of a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

“We know how important fleet is in the Australian car market, and particularly in utes, and we’re really quite excited about that opportunity,” Smitherman recently told Drive.

One model grade will initially be available, the Premium, with further versions expected to follow in 2025 and beyond.

The BYD ute's competitive price will see it match up with the RRPs of mid-tier rivals from Ford, Toyota, Isuzu, Nissan, and Mitsubishi – but with a longer list of equipment.

Luke Todd, EVDirect managing director and executive chairman, said the interest in the Shark 6 had been "astronomical" and it would "sell very quickly".

Buyers can secure a BYD Shark 6 with a $1000 deposit, though it is unclear how long the $57,900 price tag will remain, as BYD says it is an introductory offer.