South Africa’s first electric double cab officially goes on sale

T90 EV specs
eDeliver 3 Panel Van and Chassis Cab
Maxus T90 EV
Maxus eDeliver 3 Panel Van
Maxus eDeliver 3 Chassis Cab

maxus edeliver 3, maxus electric vehicles, maxus t90 ev, shanghai automotive industrial corporation, south africa’s first electric double cab officially goes on sale – pricing and specifications

Maxus Electric Vehicles (EV), the local dealer and distributor of the Shanghai Automotive Industrial Corporation (SAIC), has officially opened its doors in South Africa with a range of battery-powered commercial vehicles on offer.

The line-up includes the eDeliver 3 panel van and chassis cab, as well as the T90 EV, the latter of which is the country’s first all-electric bakkie, with all three models now being available to order for delivery later in 2023.

Maxus is initially only focusing on the Gauteng market, with the opening of its first dealership, showroom, and service centre in Menlyn, Pretoria taking place today, 19 September, with more launches to follow in Cape Town, Durban, and other metropolitan areas.

“Maxus Electric Vehicles will offer urban logistics fleets access to EVs that help them to reduce total cost of ownership and make significant progress towards their net-zero goals,” said the company.

“Early customers in South Africa such as Woolworths and DSV, working with Maxus’ leasing partner Everlectric, have already zoomed past 1,000,000km while saving over 220,000kg of harmful carbon emissions.”

T90 EV specs

The Maxus T90 EV will be the first electric double-cab bakkie to be available in South Africa, and it’s intended to be “an alternative to urban 4×2 commercial combustion double cabs in industries like mining, private security, aviation, and farming,” said Maxus.

Headline figures of the bakkie include a 150kW and 310Nm electric motor on the rear axle, an 88kWh battery pack, a driving range of 354km, and a maximum payload and towing capacity of 1,000kg.

Charging the battery on an 80kW DC plug from 5-80% takes around 45 minutes, and on an 11kW AC connector, it takes nine hours to go from 5-100%, resulting in an operating cost of R0.55/km, according to Maxus.

Standard equipment on the T90 includes automatic headlights with LED daytime-running lights, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay, a multifunction steering wheel, artificial leather upholstery, electric and heated front seats, manual airconditioning, a reverse camera with rear parking sensors, two airbags, two driving modes, and three energy recovery settings.

Pricing for the T90 EV is set at R1.1 million (incl. VAT), which is inclusive of a 100,000km/5-year warranty, a 160,000km/8-year battery warranty up to 75%, and an optional 3-year/90,000km that costs R19,995 (excl. VAT).

eDeliver 3 Panel Van and Chassis Cab

The eDeliver 3 Panel Van and Chassis Cab are equipped with a 50kWh battery powering a front-mounted electric motor that produces 90kW and 255Nm.

The vehicles reach 100km/h in around 12 seconds and are capable of delivering a combined driving range of 250-280km.

At a fast-charging DC station, the eDeliver 3 variants replenish 5-80% of the battery in 45 minutes, and with an AC station, 5-100% is finished in eight hours, thus boasting an average operation cost of around R0.26/km, said Maxus.

The Panel Van model then provides a 4.8m³ cargo hold that swallows a maximum payload of 905kg, while its maximum towing capacity is rated at 1,090kg.

The Chassis Cab supports a higher payload of up to 1,202kg, though its towing capacity and cargo volume are dependent on the customer’s chosen body style, which can either be drop-side load bin, space saver cargo canopy, or refrigeration and temperature-controlled body.

Across the eDeliver 3 line-up, amenities include automatic headlights, manual airconditioning, a leather multifunction steering wheel, cruise control, heated seats, a 7-inch infotainment system with Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay, a reverse camera with rear parking sensors, two front airbags, two driving modes, and three energy recovery settings.

Pricing for the Maxus eDeliver 3 Panel Van and Chassis Cab starts at R799,995 (excl. VAT) and includes a 100,000km/5-year warranty, a 160,000km/8-year battery warranty up to 75%, and an optional 3-year/90,000km that costs R19,995 (excl. VAT).