New 2020 Maxus e Deliver 3 all-electric panel van launched
The dinky Chinese electric van can cover a maximum of 150 miles between charges and haul up to a tonne of cargo
The new Maxus e Deliver 3 electric van has been officially launched in the UK. Prices start from £22,800 excluding VAT, but including the Government’s £3,000 plug-in vehicle grant – and, when it goes on sale in July, it’ll offer fresh competition for the likes of the Renault Kangoo ZE and Nissan e-NV200.
It was due to be launched in the UK as the LDV EV30, but Chinese parent company SAIC recently rebranded it as the Maxus e Deliver 3. It will be built in China, with the UK being the first export market in which it’s launched. First deliveries are expected to arrive in September this year.
• Cheapest electric cars on sale now
Buyers have their choice of three body configurations – either a short or long wheelbase panel van and a long wheelbase platform chassis. The standard van has a cargo volume of 4.8 cubic metres and a maximum payload capacity of 905kg, while the long wheelbase model offers respective figures of 6.3 cubic metres and 1,020kg.
All three variants are powered by the same electric motor, which has a maximum output of 121bhp and 255Nm of torque. The motor sends power to the front wheels via a single speed transmission and offers a 0–62mph time of 11 seconds and a top speed of 75mph.
The electric motor can be paired with two battery packs. The entry-level 35kWh unit gives the standard van a maximum range of 98 miles – although this figure drops to 93 miles for the long wheelbase model. The larger capacity 52.5kWh battery increases these figures to 150 miles for the short wheelbase variant and 142 miles for the extended model.
Maxus claims its 35kWh battery pack can be fully recharged in six hours using a standard AC charging station, with the 52.5kWh unit taking eight hours using the same technology. However, when plugged into a DC fast-charger, both units will recover an 80 percent charge in around 45 minutes.
Standard equipment includes air conditioning, electric windows, electrically adjustable door mirrors, a multifunction steering wheel and an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Buyers also get dual rear barn style doors, a reversing camera with rear parking sensors, cruise control, six floor-mounted strapping rings for the cargo bay and a solid partition between the cargo bay and cabin, which can be optionally specced with a glass panel.
What do you make of the new Maxus e Deliver 3? Let us know in the comments section below…
Find a car with the experts
