There is absolutely no doubting Australia’s affection for light utility vehicles, popularly known as utes. Every month the list of top five new vehicle sales contains at least of couple of utes, with Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger generally topping the list.
Now, finally, the first electric ute is on offer in Australia – with the launch and unveiling of the LDV eT60, with an 88.5kWh battery, a modest 330kms of range – and an eye-watering drive away price of $88,431 for tradies, or $92,000 for other mortals.
LDK, which is also launching an electric delivery van, the eDeliver 9, is hailing the arrival of the eT60 as a “seminal moment” in the Australian car industry.
Until now, the only electric utes available have been bespoke conversions, and LDK has decided to get into the market before the “big names” such as the Rivian, the GM electric Hummer and the Tesla Cybertruck arrive in Australia.
Image: Riz Akhtar
“We’re an OEM offering Australia’s first electric ute and everything that comes with that fact: a nationwide dealer network, factory-backed servicing and warranty, and a significant spare parts operation to manage our fast-growing carpark,” says LDV General Manager Dinesh Chinnappa.
“And now we have Australia’s first electric ute – and this is why we’ve secured fleet agreements with major global and Australian companies, Federal, State and Local governments and fleet operators who are committed to running their businesses in a more environmentally-sound manner.
Seminal moment for the EV industry
“This seminal moment in Australia’s automotive history marks a turning point in the electrification of commercial vehicles – and proves that weekends don’t have to end just yet.”
The Driven was one of several car journals invited to drive the eT60 and our report can be found here, but here are some of the key details.
The ute is powered by a single motor that drives the rear wheels. This motor produces 130kW of power and 310 Nm of torque.
The setup has a rated consumption of 21.3 kWh/100 km. That’s quite good given the dimensions of this ute which sit at:
- 5365 mm in length
- 1900 mm in width
- 1809 mm in height
For some comparison, the MG ZS EV – a lower priced electric SUV – has a consumption of 18.6 kWh/100 km.
With this consumption, the eT60 comes with some reasonable charging speeds and can be DC-fast charged from 20% to 80% in 45 minutes.
The eT60 ute comes equipped with a CCS2 DC fast charging port so it can be charged on lunch breaks at any of the growing DC fast chargers across the nation.
Towing
This ute also has a towing capacity of 1,000 kg, which is not class-leading in the ICE utes but it does the job for many looking at towing smaller trailers with tools. But it does halve the range.
Image: Riz Akhtar
Safety
Safety-wise, the ute is equipped with:
- 6 Airbags
- Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
- Hill-Start Assist (HAS)
- Reversing camera with parking sensors
- LED daytime running lights.
This safety equipment is on par with many of the traditional ICE utes.
Interior
On the inside, the interior has artificial-leather stitched seats for the front and rear rows. The seating position of the front seats can be adjusted electronically without the need to manually adjust them.
Image: Riz Akhtar
The build quality felt quite good and has fewer plastic-like trim materials compared to what’s found in many ICE utes.
This ute is also equipped with a 10.25” infotainment touchscreen that comes standard with Apple CarPlay as well as Smartphone connectivity.
Image: Riz Akhtar
There are USB ports at the front and rear to charge phones and other devices. The seat pocket and glovebox also provide functional space.
Warranty & Servicing
When it comes to warranty, LDV is providing a 5 years/160,000 km warranty on the vehicle and an 8 years/160,000 km warranty on the battery.
That gives many customers and fleets good peace of mind when looking at transitioning fleets to an EV ute. For comparison, a Ford Ranger ICE ute has a 5-year vehicle warranty and no additions on the powertrain.
Image: Riz Akhtar
Servicing can be done at any of the 95 LDV dealers across Australia. The eT60 needs a service once every 2 years or 30,000 km, whichever comes first.
Price
The LDV eT60 is priced at $88,431 Driveaway for ABN holders, or a recommended retail price of $92,990 driveaway for private buyers. Premium paints other than white are an additional $500.
That’s about twice the cost of the company’s fossil fuel utes in Australia, but it insists it is dealing with strong interest from customers.
The Driven’s view: EV utes are rare and do require larger more expensive batteries. As this segment expands, the availability is set to increase bringing with it the cost to manufacture and deliver EV utes into Australia.
The LDV eT60 is the first of its kind and is well-equipped to meet the needs of many ute owners on our roads.
Innovative products can be expensive when they are first launched. Think of the iPhone or the first Teslas which didn’t stop some people from giving them a go.
Keyword: “Weekends don’t have to end:” LDV launches Australia’s first electric ute