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Updated: April 26, 2026
BYD is developing a new utility vehicle for Australia and New Zealand, but the company is in no hurry to talk about it. The project came into focus when BYD New Zealand Managing Director Warren Willmot told Autotrader that the brand had declined the South American-focused Mako ute and was working on something more appropriate for local buyers. Executives in Australia and China have since confirmed that a dedicated model exists, without saying exactly what it will be.
A "ute" is Australian shorthand for a utility vehicle — a body style that combines pickup-like load capacity with workhorse durability. It is a core segment in Australia and New Zealand, where utes are used as daily commuters, farm vehicles and tow rigs. BYD's new project is aimed squarely at that market.
Willmot's comment was notable for its clarity. When asked about the Mako, which is based on the Sealion 6 SUV and built mainly for South America, he said: "Not for NZ, we declined this." He went on to say that Australia and New Zealand are "working on a more suitable workhorse ute for our market."
Those remarks matched what BYD Group Vice President Liu Xueliang told CarsGuide earlier in the product development cycle. "We have another special model, just for Australian customers," he said through a translator, but he did not offer details.
BYD Australia Chief Operating Officer Stephen Collins was even less forthcoming. Asked whether he would shed light on the project, Collins replied: "Not particularly." He later clarified that the silence is about timing, not cancellation, saying it was "way too early to say" anything about the ute.
Collins also explained why the Mako will not reach Australian or New Zealand showrooms. The decision is not about adapting the vehicle for right-hand drive, he said. "It's not left-hand drive, right-hand drive. It's not a technical reason. It's just that we think there's not really a market for it."
The bigger principle, he added, is that every BYD model must serve a clear role. If a vehicle has a defined purpose and enough demand, it earns a place in the lineup. If it does not, it stays away. "We think the market is extremely different," he said.
That market-driven logic rules out the compact, SUV-based ute category that has attracted other automakers. Ford's Maverick and Hyundai's Santa Cruz have created a niche in North America, but BYD does not see that niche existing in Australia or New Zealand. The company is not interested in repeating what Collins described as a role-less exercise.
The most straightforward route for a new workhorse ute is to expand the Shark 6 family, which already includes Cab Chassis and Performance variants. Ford and Toyota have used the same playbook with the Ranger and HiLux, broadening a successful nameplate rather than building a completely new platform.
Several possibilities are being discussed. One is an off-road version of the Shark 6 with front and rear mechanical differential locks, hardware already offered on the related Denza B8. That would improve grip on loose or low-traction surfaces without requiring a new chassis.
Another option combines the strongest existing pieces: the Shark 6 Performance's powertrain, rated to tow 3,500 kg (about 7,700 lb), and the cab-chassis configuration, which currently tops out at 2,500 kg (about 5,500 lb). Merging the two would give buyers a workhorse body with a much more serious towing rating.
The Shark 6 entered the Australian market as a plug-in hybrid, positioning itself against established diesel-powered utes. The addition of Cab Chassis and Performance trims shows that BYD is not treating the model as a single, static product. It is following the traditional ute playbook: start with a hero variant, then widen the range to cover tradespeople, off-road users and fleet buyers.
That strategy matters because Australia and New Zealand have demanding expectations for pickup-style vehicles. Towing capacity, payload and aftermarket support are often the first questions buyers ask. A new ute that cannot handle those basics would struggle even with a strong price advantage.
BYD's decision to reject the Mako also signals that the company understands the cultural role of the ute in Australia and New Zealand. An SUV-derived model with a small load bed may work in some markets, but it does not match the image of a serious workhorse.
Collins' comments about market fit reinforce that view. He did not blame engineering, homologation or production capacity. He pointed to demand, or the lack of it. For BYD, bringing in a vehicle that has no clear role would contradict the brand's methodical approach to new markets.
For the United States, the Australian/NZ ute project is a useful signal. BYD does not currently sell light-duty consumer vehicles in the U.S., and Chinese-built EVs face a 100 percent tariff. But the company is clearly willing to regionalize its lineup rather than rely on a one-size-fits-all global truck.
If trade conditions ever change, the same logic would apply in America: a BYD pickup entry would likely be tailored to U.S. expectations for towing, payload and off-road capability, just as the Australian project is being tailored to workhorse needs. The Mako's rejection is also a reminder that BYD is not chasing lifestyle niches; it is looking for vehicles that can do a job.
No launch date has been announced. Collins' "way too early to say" comment points to a vehicle still in the planning or early engineering stages. The project may not surface for some time, and details could change before it does.
What seems settled is that the vehicle will not be the Mako. It will also likely be a true utility vehicle, not an SUV with an open bed. The emphasis on role and market fit suggests BYD will wait until it has a product that can genuinely compete with established utes in the region.
Until then, the project remains one of the most closely watched items in BYD's regional product pipeline — and a quiet but important signal of how the company plans to grow beyond passenger cars.
