BYD to launch its own Ford Ranger-like EV/PHEV pickup truck in 2023

BYD is riding the waves hard within the automotive segment and the latest spy shots of what looks like a Ford Ranger pickup truck are indeed a very interesting sight.

China's top vehicle manufacturer is planning to launch its very first pickup truck and the folks over at Autohome managed to get a few shots of the Ford Ranger-looking pickup truck heavily camouflaged in blue and white.

*Image credit: Autohome

How do we know it's a BYD? Well, look close enough and you might just see the three giant letters on the front grille that are also camouflaged with the stickers, but even a 2-year-old can spell that out easily.

What's even more interesting is the fact that this brand's first pickup truck will most likely be offered in two different powertrains - a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and a full EV model, WapCar reported.

*Image credit: Autohome

Judging by the looks, we can see that BYD is going for that tough and muscular look just like the Ford Ranger Raptor. From the wide stance to its rear wheel arches and three-dimensional taillights, we can say that BYD has been studying the pickup truck market very closely.

Its interior is still pretty much a mess for now looking at the photos of the test mule, but the overall impression is a more practical one rather than futuristic. Having said that, the huge centre screen and a slightly smaller unit for the driver display are indeed eye-catching, to say the least.

*Image credit: Autohome

Autohome also speculated that the BYD pickup truck might even come with some very fancy features such as hydraulic active suspension, augmented reality head-up display, and some other bits and pieces co-developed with Huawei.

We're guessing that once the truck is officially launched, they'll do so on home turf before exploring to other hardcore pickup truck markets like Thailand. As for Malaysia, you can get either the BYD Atto 3 or the more recently launched Dolphin EVs priced from RM100,530 to RM168,430 (OTR prices excluding insurance).

If you're looking for something a bit more premium, you can expect the arrival of the BYD Seal here in Malaysia at the end of the year.