BYD pickup spied testing in North America

BYD has shared with us new details about the pickup truck and as we know you all love a good pickup we’re sharing them with you, along with some new juicy shots of it rolling in the dirt in Mexico. According to research pickup trucks top the car market in 39 out of 139 countries and regions surveyed in 2022. BYD is hoping to pick up a slice of the action with this new Hilux sized truck which is in many ways a pickup truck version of the Fang Cheng Bao Bao 5 (Leopard 5).

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Like that car the as yet unnamed pickup truck sits on the same DMO platform. BYD says that the platform offers ‘a revolutionary off-road experience’ and that the cutting-edge technology promises ‘an unparalleled off-road adventure.’ Key elements of the platform include a non-load-bearing frame especially designed for hybrids which is then matched with a longitudinal high-performance engine in the PHEV system. It uses cell to chassis (CTC) technology which helps reduce weight while increasing rigidity. There’s double wishbone independent suspension at both the front and rear and dual-motor electric four-wheel drive.

Powertrain should be similar to the Fang Cheng Bao Bao 5 with a 1.5 liter engine most likely also rated at 135 kW. BYD say that the truck has nearly 480 horsepower which is around 350 kW and so it would seem that it is considerably less powerful the Leopard 5’s whole system which has a maximum power of 505 kW. BYD equate the power available to the truck as similar to a 4.0 liter V8. Of course the battery will be a blade battery but the capacity is currently unknown although it may be similar or the same size as the 31.8 kWh unit in the Leopard 5. According to BYD having CTC technology integrates the battery with a high-strength steel frame which enhances battery safety in off-road conditions.

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BYD’s DMO platform prioritizes energy efficiency by integrating the advantages of DM-i and DM-p technology. Furthermore, it allows real off-road ability. Using the electric four-wheel drive system the pickup can adjust the torque distribution between front and rear swiftly and intelligently. System responses are measured in milliseconds allowing ultra-fast motor responses in conditions where there are rotational changes such as in icy conditions. The energy center lock facilitates intelligent torque transfer between front and rear axles, enabling speeds up to 30 times faster than a mechanical center lock.

CTC not only improves torsional stiffness but this has a corresponding effect to mitigate vibrations in the vehicle body translating into an ability to go across various road conditions and terrain with smoothness and stability. BYD claim the truck has industry-leading NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) levels.

Further helping the BYD pickup traverse rough terrain is a 540° view camera which means it combines a 360° surround view with a 180° undercarriage view. The pickup also has V2L capability although currently BYD hasn’t given more details but it may well have the same 6 kW discharge capacity as the Leopard 5.

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From previously seen spy shots we know that the layout of the interior is similar in the front row to the Leopard 5. There’s a large central infotainment unit and separate LCD instrument panel. Notably the center console has two big grab handles.

Other spy shots show that the truck will have prominent BYD lettering on the grille. Currently we have no word on height but the length is 5457 mm and width is 1971 mm while the wheelbase is 3260 mm. The truck should launch fairly soon with deliveries likely by the end of the year. Fast Technology speculate a price of around 200,000 yuan (27,650 USD).

Sources: BYD, Fast Technology