BYD Shark 6 vs Foton TunlandPlug-in hybrid or diesel: which costs less?
The verdict
Based on the cheapest version of each, 250 km a week in NSW, mostly charged at home. Details in the table below.
The Foton Tunland V7-C 4x2 works out about $9,147 cheaper to own over 5 years than the BYD Shark 6 Dynamic Cab-Chassis. Plugged in at home most nights, the BYD Shark 6 Dynamic Cab-Chassis costs about $30.56 a week in power and petrol, against $55.34 of diesel for the Foton Tunland V7-C 4x2 (250 km a week in NSW). Never charged, the plug-in would use about $47.16 a week in petrol.
Side by side
250 km a week. The plug-in is charged at home most nights; fuel is NSW's average on 21 October 2026. Better figure in green.
| BYD Shark 6 Dynamic Cab-Chassis | Foton Tunland V7-C 4x2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $55,900+ on-roads | $39,990+ on-roads |
| Type | Plug-in hybrid (petrol) | Mild hybrid (diesel) |
| Electric range | 100 km claimed | Not a plug-in |
| Fuel use | about 7.9 L/100 km once the battery is flat | 8 L/100 km (diesel) |
| Running cost per week (NSW) | $30.56 | $55.34 |
| Servicing per year | $552 | $642 |
| Tyres per year | $364 | $338 |
| Warranty | 6 yrs / 150,000 km (battery 8 yrs) | 7 yrs / unlimited km |
| 5-year cost to own | $72,425 | $63,278 |
What do "on the road" and "cost to own" mean?
Before on-road costs (+ on-roads): the car's list price only. You pay extra government charges and dealer fees on top when you buy.
On-road costs: stamp duty, first year's registration, compulsory third party (CTP) insurance, number plates and the dealer's delivery fee. They usually add $3,000–6,000 depending on the car and your state. Where a price is "before on-roads" we add about $4,000. See stamp duty and rego by state.
Drive-away: a price that already includes the on-road costs, so it's what you actually pay to drive the car home.
On the road price: the drive-away price, or the list price plus our on-road estimate.
Cost to own: everything you'd spend over the years you keep the car (5 unless you change it): the on the road price, plus a home wall charger for EVs (about $2,000, one-off), plus charging or fuel, scheduled servicing and tyres for every year. Divide it by the number of weeks to see what the car really costs you each week.
Not included: yearly rego renewals and insurance after the first year (see what EVs and hybrids cost to insure), finance interest, and what the car is worth when you sell it. These vary too much by person and car to estimate fairly, and resale value is the biggest unknown, especially for newer brands.
Weekly running cost by state
| State | BYD Shark 6 (power + petrol) | Foton Tunland (diesel) |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | $30.56 | $55.34 |
| Victoria | $26.67 | $55.38 |
| Queensland | $26.43 | $56.06 |
| South Australia | $35.94 | $56.16 |
| WA | $30.04 | $53.62 |
| Tasmania | $24.46 | $56.10 |
| ACT | $32.93 | $57.36 |
| NT | $28.11 | $56.86 |
Common questions
Is the BYD Shark 6 or Foton Tunland cheaper to own?
The Foton Tunland V7-C 4x2 is about $9,147 cheaper to own over 5 years than the BYD Shark 6 Dynamic Cab-Chassis. This counts the price, running costs, servicing and tyres, driving 250 km a week in NSW with the plug-in charged at home.
Which is cheaper to run, the BYD Shark 6 or Foton Tunland?
In NSW, the BYD Shark 6 Dynamic Cab-Chassis costs about $30.56 a week charged at home, and the Foton Tunland V7-C 4x2 about $55.34 a week in diesel, for 250 km.
What if I can't charge the BYD Shark 6 at home?
Then it runs on petrol at about 7.9 L/100 km, roughly $47.16 a week in NSW. The plug-in's running-cost advantage depends on charging it.
What about towing?
Check each car's braked towing capacity with the maker. Towing increases fuel and electricity use a lot, and a plug-in's electric range drops sharply with a trailer.
More comparisons
BYD Shark 6 against diesels
Foton Tunland against plug-ins
How we work it out, and our sources
Weekly cost = the car's energy use × 250 km × your electricity or fuel price, with 90% of charging at home. Prices are list prices at November 2026; check with the dealer.
- Electricity: 2026–27 default rates (AER, Victorian Default Offer, state retailers). Public charging: Sydney network prices, July 2026.
- Petrol and diesel: ACCC capital-city averages, 21 October 2026.
- Cars: maker figures via CarExpert, Drive, CarsGuide and EV Central. Plug-in electric range is taken as 80% of the claim.
- Servicing: published capped prices; marked as an estimate where not yet published (CarExpert comparison).
- Tyres: an EV set lasts about 35,000 km, a petrol or hybrid set 50,000 km (RACV); prices from Gridly.
- Home charger: about $2,000 installed ($1,000–$3,000). Novated leases: PwC summary.
Printed from EV Pick · evpick.com.au. Prices and costs are estimates; check with the dealer. © 2026 EV Pick (T. Crouch). For personal use only; not to be copied, republished or sold without permission.