The Chinese industrial disruption that is (thankfully) shattering our status quo. The BYD Shark ute. Utes are…
The Chinese industrial disruption that is (thankfully) shattering our status quo.
The BYD Shark ute. Utes are central to our status quo psyche, a previous PM loved to reference them, for votes. Mocking EVs in the process.
China is having glorious revenge. /1 https://t.co/bgi6oQaFg8
The Shark is to be released this month in Australia, with deliveries reported to begin in early 2025.
This (hybrid) ute is a missile aimed right at the heart of our lazy status quo. Some motoring journalists believe it could destroy every other product in the segment. /2 https://t.co/f9D46dRju0
The Shark has almost twice the power of other leading utes. It has the fastest acceleration. It has almost twice the full-electric range of other ute hybrids. /3 https://t.co/CFAjvKQ7Gk
It has more luxury on the inside than any other ute in Australia. It has a larger tray and interior than other leading utes.
It's underlying chassis is bespoke engineered as an EV platform. This gives it far greater engineering sophistication than competing utes. /4
And here's the rivals-going-pale kicker. It could be anything from $10K to $30K CHEAPER than every other dual cab ute in the country.
Existing carmakers and their political chums invent various versions of the old Yellow Peril to try to counter these status quo missiles. /5
It's the Chinese government sponsoring anti-competitive behaviour! Etc.
Bullshit. Western governments have shovelled trillions in largesse towards ICE carmakers for a century. /6
It's China doing what the rest of us refuse to. Building EVs, at scale. Affordable EVs. Exactly what the entire world needs right now, in emergency numbers.
I often Tweet that China is the only catastrophe I can think of that may save us. /7
This to me is a perfect example. Nothing embodies the cultural arrogance, laziness and populism of Australian and US life in particular more than these wankpanzer utes.
They're totemic.
China has issued a massive 'fuck you' to that.
They're saving us from ourselves.
/end