BYD is getting ready to introduce its second dual-cab ute, pulling the covers off a pre-production example of the new Mako plug-in hybrid (PHEV) at the 2026 Interlagos Festival in Brazil.
Positioned below the body-on-frame Shark 6, the Mako adopts a significantly different engineering philosophy. Rather than a traditional ladder-frame chassis, the new ute utilises a unibody architecture derived directly from the Sealion 5 SUV (also known globally as the Song Plus). Thanks to these images, courtesy of CarNewsChina, it appears to take on an SUV-like stance and with SUV proportions, except with a cargo tub at the back.
This car-like construction places the Mako squarely in the intermediate ‘lifestyle’ ute segment. It measures approximately 4900mm long, 2000mm wide, and 1900mm tall, riding on a 2900mm wheelbase. This footprint makes it a direct rival to unibody compact trucks like the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz, prioritising on-road dynamics and urban manoeuvrability over outright heavy-duty payload capacities.
Under the bonnet, the Mako is expected to utilise a variation of BYD’s DM-i plug-in hybrid technology. The prototype features a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine paired with an electric drive system, engineered specifically with flex-fuel capabilities for the South American market. Combined system outputs are estimated at a healthy 163kW and 300Nm.
Unlike traditional utes that rely on leaf springs, the unibody chassis accommodates a multi-link independent rear suspension setup, delivering ride comfort and handling characteristics closer to a family SUV than a commercial workhorse.
Production of the BYD Mako is locked in for the brand’s Camaçari plant in Bahia, Brazil, with local showroom arrivals expected in the final quarter of 2026.
While BYD Australia is currently focused heavily on the local rollout of the Shark 6, the emergence of the Mako signals the Chinese giant’s intent to aggressively saturate the global light commercial market across multiple size brackets. If engineered for right-hand drive in the future, the Mako could provide local buyers with a compelling, electrified alternative to the traditional one-tonne dual-cab.
