Maxus T90EV To Be One of First UK Electric Pickups

The automotive industry has so far lagged behind as far as adopting electric vehicle technology for that ubiquitous workhorse the pickup, but there are signs that this is about to change. One of the early bird EV pickups will be the MAXUS T90EV, which will soon be available in the UK.

The suggestion has been that it has been more of a head scratcher for manufacturers to create viable electric pickups for several reasons. One being the locating of the powertrain and batteries in such a vehicle, and another being the concern that payload regulations may be affected with the weight of batteries, not to mention the need for reliable efficient working grunt without completely depleting the battery, and ground clearance issues.

Ford are one of the big hitter manufacturers on the case as we might expect, but it is increasingly looking like Chinese company MAXUS will beat most manufacturers to the post with the T90EV. The new MAXUS electric pickup is an attractive looking vehicle, with a large, polished grille up front that drops a not so subtle hint that this vehicle is a commercial vehicle that wants to be noticed.

Power comes from an 88.5kWh battery which sits under the chassis, while the motor is located at the rear offering a shorter distance to powering the rear wheels. A downside to the positioning here is that ground clearance will be affected by the placement of the battery pack. Not all pickups need huge ground clearance, but this is something to bear in mind.

With looks that won’t be out of place among our well-to-do cars on our roads, you’d therefore expect the T90EV to arrive with all mod cons and it doesn’t disappoint, with a 10.25-inch touch screen, rear parking sensor and reversing camera, daytime run lights (LED), and a shiny anti-roll bar in the pickup bed. There is also a front towing winch, and the whole thing rides on 17-inch alloy wheels. A rear fog light and high mounted stop light are also part of the package. Ventilated discs stop the T90EV, while double-wishbone suspension up front and leaf-spring at the rear keeping things steady.

Inside, MAXUS say that the T90EV is surprisingly roomy due to a new, neater dashboard design and floor console. Seats are faux leather with the front ones featuring 6-way electronic adjustment. A manual air-con with pollen filter and rear window defrosting are also included.

For a working vehicle, time can often be of the essence, and the T90EV can go from 20 percent to 80 percent of its full charge in 45 minutes. MAXUS says that the range will be in the region of 220 miles. Not including VAT, you can order your all-electric MAXUS T90EV right now starting from £49,950 with deliveries expected early next year.

As other commercial vehicle manufacturers catch up on the EV pickup front, it will be interesting to see how the MAXUS eventually competes long-term. Certainly, getting a head start over its rivals will do the T90EV no harm at all.

Images: saicmaxus.co.uk