BYD Fang Cheng Bao sets launch windows for Tai 9 and Shark pickup in China

• The Tai 9 will officially launch after November 15, while the Shark pickup is scheduled to launch in China in late November or early December.
• Tai 9 display and test-drive vehicles will begin arriving at dealerships in late October.

BYD‘s (HKEX: 1211) Fang Cheng Bao has outlined launch plans for 2 new models, with the Tai 9 full-size SUV set to roll out first, followed by the Shark pickup’s introduction to China.

Xiong Tianbo, general manager of Fang Cheng Bao, said on Weibo on Thursday that the Tai 9 will officially launch after November 15. Display and test-drive vehicles will begin arriving at dealerships in late October.

The BYD sub-brand will prepare Tai 9 inventory ahead of launch to shorten the wait between ordering and delivery, Xiong said.

The Shark pickup is scheduled to launch in late November or early December, with deliveries beginning at the same time, she said.

The update provides a clearer timetable for Fang Cheng Bao’s expansion over the rest of the year, covering the full-size family SUV and pickup segments. Exact launch dates and prices were not disclosed.

Xiong said recent market visits suggested greater pressure during this year’s traditionally strong September-October sales season than in previous years. Still, Fang Cheng Bao’s overall performance remains solid, and the team remains confident in the brand, she said.

The Tai 9 is a 6-seat plug-in hybrid SUV that appeared in a vehicle filing catalog released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in August.

The filing shows the vehicle measures 5,270 mm in length and has a wheelbase of 3,130 mm. It will be Fang Cheng Bao’s largest SUV, surpassing the 5,195-mm-long Bao 8.

The Tai 9 pairs a 1.5-liter engine with 2 electric motors, 1 at each axle, each rated at a peak output of 200 kW, forming a four-wheel-drive system. It has a battery capacity of 66.48 kWh.

Within Fang Cheng Bao’s existing lineup, the Bao 5 and Bao 8 primarily target the rugged off-road market, while the Tai 3 and Tai 7 focus on urban and family use. The Tai 9 will further broaden the lineup’s coverage.

The Shark is among the few BYD models launched overseas before being introduced in China. The plug-in hybrid pickup debuted in Mexico in May 2024 and subsequently entered markets including Brazil and Australia.

Xiong announced in May that the Shark would join Fang Cheng Bao’s lineup this year. The model appeared in a Chinese regulatory filing in July, before BYD and Fang Cheng Bao released official images for the domestic market in September.

The Shark’s Chinese filing lists a length of 5,457 mm and a wheelbase of 3,260 mm. It features a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, front and rear electric motors, and a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery.

The Shark is built on BYD’s DMO platform, with DM standing for dual mode and O for off-road. Its introduction will add a pickup to Fang Cheng Bao’s lineup.

Fang Cheng Bao sold 43,181 vehicles in September, up 79.02% year-on-year and 3.88% from August, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.

The brand’s sales in the first 9 months of the year totaled 285,436 vehicles, up 147.53% year-on-year, providing a sales base for further expansion of its product lineup.

The Formula S series starts at 189,900 yuan ($28,080), marking Fang Cheng Bao’s entry into the sedan market.