BYD has launched the BYD Shark hybrid pickup truck in Panama, its first hybrid model in the Latin American country.

BYD (HKG: 1211, OTCMKTS: BYDDY) has launched the BYD Shark hybrid pickup truck in Panama, its first hybrid model in the Latin American country.

In Panama, the pickup truck market has shown considerable growth in recent years, said Eduardo López de Victoria, general manager of BYD Central America and the Caribbean, according to an announcement today.

Pickup truck models meet both business and personal needs, and the BYD Shark responds to the market demand for a new life and mobility experience, he said.

BYD launched the BYD Shark in Mexico on May 14, a rare move for it to make a new model debut in an overseas market.

The model is not yet available in China, which may be partly due to the many restrictions on pickup truck models in Chinese cities.

The BYD Shark is based on BYD's DMO platform, with O standing for off-road and DM for dual mode, and measures 5,457 mm in length, 1,971 mm in width and 1,925 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,260 mm.

It is powered by dual electric motors, with the front motor producing 170 kW of power and 310 Nm of torque, and the rear motor producing 150 kW of power and 340 Nm of torque.

The BYD Shark's powertrain produces over 430 horsepower and can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds with a top speed of 160 km/h.

It is powered by a blade battery with a capacity of 29.58 kWh and has an NEDC battery range of 100 kilometers and a combined NEDC range of 840 kilometers.

At the Panama launch event, BYD used the pickup to create an outdoor camping scenario.

BYD showcased four battery electric vehicle (BEV) models -- Tang, Yuan Plus, Seal and Dolphin -- at an auto show in Panama in October 2023, marking the debut of its passenger vehicles in the country.

To date, BYD has opened two stores in Panama.

In the future, BYD will expand its sales channels in Panama to help the local green transportation transition, the Chinese NEV maker said.

BYD launches 1st pickup truck Shark in Mexico with starting price of $53,400