BYD Shark 6 DMO called off in Thailand due to low demand

It seems that things are a little bit different after all, over at our ASEAN neighbor Thailand, as BYD has decided not to push through with selling the Shark 6 DMO in their market.

Now, given that the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) pickup truck is actually gaining a lot of traction in markets such as ours in the Philippines and Australia, it’s both a bit of a surprise and not at the same time.

According to various Thai automotive publications, the Chinese automaker has decided against pushing through with sales of the Shark 6 DMO due to low sales. Opened for booking at the 2025 Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS) in March, the company only received 153 orders out of its 500-unit allocation.

The poor reception is attributed to the Shark 6 DMO’s higher asking price of about THB 1.7-million (Php 3-million), which is higher than established rivals such as the Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-MAX, and Ford Ranger. 

This is because of a 30% import duty for vehicles brought into Thailand from China, which makes it difficult to price competitively. We also won’t be surprised if it’s because pickup trucks in Thailand are used more as workhorses than everyday lifestyle vehicles, which the Shark 6 DMO is being marketed as.

As mentioned earlier, the Shark 6 DMO is gaining a fair amount of traction here in the Philippines. From April to June 2025, a total of 648 units sold from April to June 2025, since the truck’s launch in March 2025. It also helps that preferential tax rates for electrified vehicles and Chinese imports allow BYD Cars Philippines to price it for as low as just a smidge above Php 2-million.

_{Photo by Sam Surla}