Electric LDV EVT60 ute closer
LDV beats all the heavyweights to launching an all-electric pick-up in our corner of the worldLDV will provide Kiwi ute buyers with their first fully electric dual-cab following confirmation the 2022 LDV eT60 will be released in New Zealand, where it will be called the LDV EVT60, by the end of this year.
Having just rewritten the mainstream ute rulebook in terms of power with the LDV T60 Max late last year, LDV is clearly on a roll with the battery-powered EVT60, which is currently without a direct rival from any major or challenger brand.
Promising a WLTP driving range of up to 325km on a single charge (about half that of conventional diesel T60s), the LDV EVT60 is powered by a rear axle-mounted 130kW/310Nm electric motor which draws current from an 88.5kWh lithium-ion battery.
Because it only has one electric motor, the electrified T60 is down on both power and torque compared to its twin-turbo diesel counterparts, with the maximum braked towing capacity (1000kg) also suffering compared to the internal combustion versions (3000kg).
And while LDV NZ says towing at maximum capacity will reduce range by half, to around 160km, the 980kg payload capacity is still near enough on par with the one-tonne segment benchmark.
An off-road version of the EVT60 – fitted with four-wheel drive and a larger battery offering more range – is reportedly under development.
Five paint colours will be offered for the EVT60 in New Zealand, where standard equipment highlights will include automatic headlights and wipers, three drive modes, touch-screen infotainment system, Bluetooth connectivity, power windows, 16-inch alloy wheels, side steps and a reversing camera.
Visually there’s nothing to distinguish the EV from diesel versions of the latest LDV T60 Max.
Pricing is yet to be revealed in New Zealand, where LDV is currently taking fully refundable $1000 deposits for the EVT60 ahead of first deliveries there in December, although a 50 per cent price premium over top-spec T60s is expected.
It will be interesting to see what sort of market response the EVT60 receives in New Zealand, given it’s only being offered in a single trim level and without four-wheel drive. Of the 16,017 pick-up and cab-chassis models sold in Australia in January, 13,653 of them were 4x4s.
That said, LDV will not only beat its most direct rivals to market with an electric ute, but also the influx of upcoming full-size US electric pick-ups including the Ford F-150 Lightning, GMC Hummer EV, Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1T.
At this stage the future of the EVT60 is unknown in Australia, where LDV is imported by a different distributor, Ateco Automotive, which says the all-electric T60 is not yet on its radar.
In fact, carsales understands LDV Australia’s first electric model will be the battery-powered eDeliver 9 van, which could arrive as soon as the third quarter of this year.
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