Vans are a part of the automotive scene people don’t think about too much, but they play a pretty big part in our lives and business.
Heck, during COVID the sound of a clattering diesel van pulling into our driveway has some form of Pavlovian effect on us to rush out and see what boxes have been dropped – contactless of course – on our doorstep that day.
Vans (no, not utes) keep our lives ticking over. There are a lot of them, they do a lot of miles, and they burn a lot of diesel, often in tight city spaces where that’s an issue.
It’s a segment ripe for electrification, but which so far has been underserved in the NZ market.
For full BEV you’ve had three choices, the LDV EV80, LDV eDeliver3 and Renault Kangoo.
The latter two are at the compact end of the market, a segment that has been mostly overlooked here, usually for utes.
We reviewed the EV80 in the early days of EVs and Beyond and liked it. It was a little rough, a little clunky, but it worked. It has gone on to star in such roles as AT Metro’s minibus fleet, became a motorhome, and served as a work truck for a power station.
But with limited range and a few compromises, it never found widespread success.
Its successor, the eDeliver9 deserves to do far better, and I think LDV’s local distributors know it. They’ve come out with a broad range – including four battery choices – confident pricing, and even a cab chassis version (could we call this an electric ute) to give operators even more options.
In some markets it’s called a Maxus, and like the hugely popular MG ZS EV is a product of the giant Chinese manufacturer SAIC.
In diesel form it’s a solid price-leading option in the large van segment, competing against the Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Volkswagen Crafter and Renault Master.
It comes in multiple sizes, with the two available here called, amusingly, Big and Bigger.
They meet those descriptions. The Big is 5.546 metres long, 2.062 metres wide and 2.525 metres high, with a 9.7 cubic metre rear load space.
The Bigger, as tested, is longer at 5.940 metres long and provides 11 cubic metres of load space.
Carrying capacity is decent, and more than enough for the light and bulky items that dominate local deliveries.
The Big with the smallest battery carries 1200kg, while the Bigger with the largest batter will take 860kg.
The load bay is lined, has lots of tie downs, and LED lighting. A safety barrier is standard and the LDV can tow, with a 1500kg braked limit across the range.
The batteries start at a 51.5kWh unit with a 186km WLTP range, move up to a 72kWh unit with a 236km WLTP range, and top out with an 88.5kWh which can take the van 296km WLTP. The cab/chassis get a fourth option, a 65kWh.
Are those ranges achievable? That depends on a few things.
Our initial run took the 88.5KWh test van from LDV from Takanini, South Auckland, to Whangarei via Mangawhai, a trip of more than 200km. We did it with 70km to spare.
That trip was unloaded, so a second trip with around 300kg on board and into a headwind one way gave a potential range closer to 230Km.
An efficient run back to Auckland gave a potential range of more than 300km.
Range is going to depend so much on how the van is used but expect consumption of more than 30kWh per 100km.
The EV80’s charge point was mounted under the old diesel filler point behind the driver’s door which made it comedically difficult to charge at DC units.
It’s now situated conveniently under the badge in the nose, making it easy to charge even in relatively pinched locations. We don’t know the exact speed the LDV will charge at, but it appears the 88.5kWh can charge at above 50kW with a quoted 45 minute 20% to 80% charge time.
The onboard AC unit is a three-phase 11kW setup, which we found handy as well, and is likely to appeal to commercial operators.
The cabin is appealing, with excellent seats for three – we find Chinese manufacturers are excellent at seats – a modern dashboard, with a large touchscreen, and a decent driving position.
It feels fairly modern, if perhaps a little behind the pack on overall design and the hardness of the plastics used.
But this is a work vehicle so what could you want? Well, a few more cubbyholes and a better infotainment system would be nice.
Safety hasn’t been ignored – there are front and side airbags, electronic stability control and a lane change system. It does lack some of the more advanced assists available on more expensive European options.
There is little in the cabin to suggest the van is an EV. The shifter remains the same, with an option to increase regeneration, and a few extra screens in the dash cluster display.
There are no charge timers or preconditioning options, it’s just simple and ready for work.
The drive is something special, however. The Ford Transit has long been seen as the enthusiastic driver’s choice in the van market, but the eDeliver9 is coming for it.
Its a giant van, but the performance of the motor – peak of 150kW and 350Nm – combined with the low-slung weight mean it’s not just comfortable, but fun to drive. To a point. Speed is limited to 102kmh. Fair enough I guess.
So what does this all cost? Of the six versions of the eDeliver, three – the small battery version of both sizes and the cab chassis – GST inclusive retail prices of $76,544, $79,994, and $79,994 respectively. All can claim the Clean Car Discount of $8625.
The 72kWh models come in at $86,238 and $89,688, and the model tested was $96,588.
For comparison, a diesel Transit Cargo starts from $67,990, line ball with a Big with the small battery after rebates.
If the van was doing 1000km a week, by the time you include fuel and road user chargers, let alone servicing, our back-of-anotebook calculations suggest the LDV will have you ahead by around $140 a week.
That’s if you can match the right work to the right van, and I think plenty of people can.
