3 minute read

Maxus T90EV The UK’s First Electric Pickup

from The Mud Life 4x4 Magazine - #46 - March 2023

from The Mud Life 4x4 Magazine - #46 - March 2023, page 86

Lilly's

by Andy Harris

It was only a matter of time before an electric pickup went on sale in the UK. Offerings from Rivian and Mr Musk’s Tesla are still some way off. It has instead been left to Chinese brand SAIC Maxus to bring us the T90EV.

Ahead of the UK Media Launch in a couple of weeks’ time, I was able to spend an afternoon behind the wheel of what I believe is the very first production ready vehicle to land in the UK. Delivery mileage and the remnants of window stickers still apparent.

An initial walkaround brought no surprises, though the front end with the massive chrome grille with the Maxus logo is quite imposing.

A sturdy tailgate to the rear gives access to a conventional load bed and there’s a handy step in the bumper for easier access.

Battery vehicles are by their very nature heavier and a gross vehicle weight of 3,300kg shows the T90 to be no lightweight. The battery is fitted under the cab and load floor but be reassured that a 1 tonne payload is still the order of the day. Rather more disappointing is the maximum towing weight for a braked trailer is just 1,000kg which will limit the truck’s usability for some.

The manufacturer claims a range of 205 miles in ideal conditions, which should prove to be more than adequate for most pickup truck users.

The 88.5kWh battery puts out a heady 201 bhp and power is fed to the rear wheels only. I am told an all-wheel drive version will follow. For the time being then, probably best to stick to terra firma. Ground clearance is a little lower than ICE competitors too.

The driving experience will be familiar to all pickup truck owners. An empty load bed saw a little bounce from the unladen rear end, though the weight of the battery does help in this regard. Step away from rest is suitably brisk, with just a noticeable but not unpleasant electric whine. Once above 40mph or thereabouts rustle from around the wing mirrors takes over as the predominant sound. It is all rather peaceful and a world away from some of the rather noisy diesel engines fitted elsewhere.

There are three driving modes and for the most part I left the T90 in its default ‘normal’ setting. Eco might work when pottering around town, though more interesting was the ‘Power’ button which gave a meaningful boost in performance. It will be useful when towing or carrying a full load and it was helpful on some of the steeper hills on my test route. I did notice the range dropped noticeably, so perhaps best saved for when absolutely necessary.

A few challenging country lanes formed part of my afternoon foray and for the most part the T90 coped quite well. Grip seemed fine, body roll acceptable, and the only unpleasant moment was a large pothole hit a speed which rather dramatically threw the truck off my chosen course. The roads were a tad greasy and I would have preferred the reassurance of power to all wheels, especially with the empty load bed.

Interior quality is fine, but don’t expect lots of soft-touch plastics. Durable and robust is the order of the day here, but others do it better. It feels more workaday than perhaps we are now used to.

The front seats are electrically adjustable and quite comfortable. They can be heated if you tick the right box and pay extra. The steering wheel adjusts for rake, but not reach which for some may be less than ideal. I was quite comfortable. Seat covering is some sort of faux leather, practical yes, but cold and slippery.

Gears are selected by a rotary dial with simple drive, neutral and reverse settings. Alongside are buttons for selecting the Eco or Power modes and there is a hill descent button too.

There’s a 10.5-inch infotainment touchscreen. No DAB radio is fitted, just AM/FM, the expectation being that you will connect your Smartphone via one of the two front USB ports which sit close by. Heater controls sit underneath and there’s manual air conditioning for those hotter days.

A reversing camera if fitted along with rear parking sensors and these are much needed in what is definitely a large truck, as I found when stopping to charge. The parking bay was a tad small and passers-by were certainly bemused by the sight of a pickup on charge

The large battery will take some 13 hours to fill on a home 7kW charger, though on a DC fast charger, a 20-80% top up should take around 45 minutes. Charge at home or in the workplace on cheap overnight electricity is undoubtedly the way forward with this and any other EV.

The many tax advantages are likely to count in the T90’s favour, which will doubtless see a flurry of sales. Price may deter some at a smidgen under £50,000 before VAT.

There is no word yet of an electric pickup from the likes of Toyota, Isuzu, or Volkswagen, so for the time being at least Maxus has undoubtedly won the race to be first to market. Being first does not necessarily mean being best, but the T90 acquits itself very well and will doubtless be offered to fleet users on attractive leasing schemes.