Australia’s first electric ute in November

LDV Australia has today confirmed the all-electric eT60 pick-up will be available by November as part of a three-pronged EV onslaught.

As well as the eT60 electric ute, LDV has also confirmed it will begin selling the eDeliver 9 electric van and Mifa 9 electric people-mover.

The three EVs are considered a fresh beginning for the Chinese brand as it looks to capitalise on growing interest in electric vehicles and buyers becoming increasingly open to switching brands to own a battery-powered vehicle.

“It’s brand transformational in terms of elevating our status,” says LDV Australia general manager Dinesh Chinnappa.

“The Australian auto industry is at a crucial pivot point and embarking on a journey many countries commenced years ago. LDV is at the forefront of this journey for commercial vehicles.”

It’s the LDV eT60 ute that’s the most interesting of the soon-to-arrive EV trio from LDV.

Utes account for more than one in five new vehicle sales in Australia and the lesser-known LDV brand has leapfrogged rivals as diverse as Tesla, Rivian, Ford, Chevrolet, Hummer, Toyota and Volkswagen in bringing one to the Australian market.

It has also beaten planned electric vehicle conversions of existing Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger utes from the likes of SEA Automotive and Roev, as well as the Warrego hydrogen fuel-cell Ford Ranger from H2X.

“We’re first to market with an electric pick-up – it’s important,” says Chinnappa of the imminent arrival of the eT60.

The LDV eT60 uses a single electric motor driving only the rear wheels. Its peak outputs are 130kW and 310Nm, which is below the circa-150kW/500Nm outputs of the most popular diesel-powered utes.

Underneath is an 88.5kWh battery pack claimed to provide a range of around 325km.

Charging can be done at up to 80kW using a DC fast-charger, which the company says will boost the battery level from 20 to 80 per cent in as little as 45 minutes.

Slower AC charging can be done at up to 11kW, providing a full charge in about nine hours. The more common 7.4kW home wallbox would take more like 13 hours and a regular powerpoint about 40 hours.

Standard features will be as per the T60, including a 10.25-inch touch-screen, a full suite of driver/safety aids.

The big question is how much the LDV eT60 will cost.

In New Zealand it’s offered for $NZ79,990 drive-way, which directly converts to about $A70,000.

However, there’s every chance the New Zealand importer has priced the eT60 to benefit from the generous $NZ8625 rebate available in the country for EVs priced below $NZ80K.

The best estimates on pricing for Australia have the eT60 floating somewhere north of $80,000, which would put the LDV EV at the pointy end of the ute market.

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LDV Australia says the ute will clearly not appeal to everyone, especially as towing capacity is limited to 1500kg and it lacks the 4x4 capability many buyers want.

LDV is not pretending the eT60 is ideal for the masses, but it says there has been plenty of early interest – something the company anticipates ramping up following confirmation of timing and the imminent arrival of the first customer cars.

“We’ve had good solid interest,” says Chinnappa. “We’ve been talking to last-mile fleets, some government and energy utility customers… we’re holding deposits.”

Chinnappa says LDV Australia has secured a “small number of orders” and that it was in “early stages of discussions with both blue-chip corporates and governments”.

“Many, blue-chip companies and governments in Australia want to start the process of electrification… they see it as inevitable that Australia will follow the rest of the world eventually.”

LDV is also taking its EV message to the electric van market with the eDeliver 9.

Based on the Deliver 9 van, LDV Australia has opted only to bring the larger long-wheelbase version of the EV, complete with the largest battery pack it is fitted with internationally.

Like the eT60 ute, the battery-powered commercial van gets a single electric motor driving two wheels and producing 130kW (although NZ specs state 150kW) and 310Nm for a claimed 0-100km/h time of a big 18.4 seconds.

The eDeliver 9 also gets the same CATL-supplied 88.55kWh battery as the eT60.

Its charging parameters are the same as the eT60, which means a 20-80 per cent DC charge in as little as 45 minutes and a full AC charge in about nine hours.

While Australian details of the eDeliver 9 van are yet to be announced, the New Zealand specifications show it has 7.4 cubic-metres of cargo capacity, a payload of 860kg and range of 296km.

In New Zealand – where it’s also available in cab/chassis form with 65kWh battery that results in a short 155km range and a huge 25sec 0-100km/h time – the big-battery, LWB version of the eDeliver 9 sells for about $100K, so expect Australian pricing upwards of $90,000.