Growing electric LCV manufacturer Maxus has signified its move into two new market segments at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show, unveiling a pick-up and a seven-seat people carrier.
The T90EV pick-up and MIFA 9 people carrier headline a display of 12 electric vehicles (EVs) displayed at the show – which opened at the NEC in Birmingham today – by Harris Maxus, the UK distributor of the group owned by Chinese giant SAIC.
The T90EV is an electric version of the vehicle that Maxus sells in China. The two-wheel-drive vehicle uses an 89kWh battery pack powering a 150kW motor, which Maxus says will give it a battery range of up to 198 miles between charges. Payload capacity is to be finalised, but it is expected to be 740kg in a near 1.5-metre square load box.
The MIFA 9 – the name stands for ‘Maximum, Intelligent, Friendly and Artistic’ – makes its UK debut following its unveiling at the Guangzhou Auto Show in China in November. It is built on a new platform also set to be used for future SUV and pick-up models from the brand.
Measuring some five metres long, the seven-seat people carrier is propelled by a 180kW motor powered from a 93kWh battery pack. It is intended to be a high-specificaiton model with electric sliding doors, an auto tailgate and front and rear radar sensors all included.
EVs are now taking 36% of all Maxus registrations, and the brand has grown its market share of the UK commercial EV market to 11%. “The growth and interest in EV vans, particularly from the grocery, delivery and pharmaceutical sectors is phenomenal,” Harris Maxus managing director Mark Barrett said.
“In 2016 we launched our first all-electric commercial vehicle, the EV80, at the CV Show – the pace at which technology and at which SAIC is innovating is evidenced by the fact that in just six years, the EV80 has been superseded by two new platform EVs, the eDeliver 3 and eDeliver 9,” Barrett added.
Maxus expects to start taking orders for both the T90EV and MIFA 9 from August, with deliveries beginning in the first quarter of 2023.
