Electric cars have been on offer for a while now, and the technology is advancing every year.
Many manufacturers have released the first versions of their electric LCVs, with many displaying solid performance stats when it comes to carry capacity and battery range, and so on.
And now the first electric pickup truck has been revealed.
Maxus launched the T90EV pickup truck at the 2022 CV Show and has really set the bar for other pickup companies to follow.
An 88.5kWh battery pack powers a 150kW motor (equivalent to 204hp) and provides 198 miles of driving range (using WLTP city conditions).
The T90EV has a modern internal design, with a 10-inch touchscreen and instrument cluster controlling most of the vehicle’s features. A reversing camera and rain-sensing wipers are standard.
The T90EV does have a couple of limitations, which may be a consequence of the level of electric vehicle technology available at the moment.
The driving range as mentioned above was rated using WLTP city conditions, so street driving. The stats for off-road and more rugged driving have not yet been released. We expect this to be lower, but for now we don’t know by how much.
The T90EV is rear-wheel-drive only, which will be useful for towing and for driving under load, but it may cause issues while driving off-road.
A problem that all electric pickups will face is the payload. Due to the weight of the battery pack, the load capacity is only 740kg, which is below the limit for the vehicle to qualify as a commercial vehicle for tax purposes.
With the push to take new petrol and diesel vehicles off the market by 2035, the question of a viable electric pickup truck is one that needs asking. This first entry by Maxus appears to be a solid option that looks capable in many areas. Though it remains to be seen how the vehicle performs in real-world situations.
Orders are expected to be taken from August this year. Van Ninja will be looking at lease funders for this vehicle, so check back later to find out if we are able to offer lease pricing.
