Thursday, 24 March 2022 09:55

LDV electric ute breaks cover

Written by  Mark Daniel
LDV has the first electric ute available for purchase in New Zealand. LDV has the first electric ute available for purchase in New Zealand.

While there seems to be a feeding frenzy for hybrid or electric cars of late, there’s no such madness for the humble ute.

That’s probably because, despite the electric powerhouses like Tesla or Rivian making lots of promises, to date they haven’t come to the party.

Now it looks like they’ve both been trumped, with SAIC Motor and subsidiary LDV showing the first electric ute available for purchase in New Zealand.

The LDV EVT60 is based around its sibling bi-turbo diesel T60, first seen in NZ a few years ago. Currently only available in rear wheel drive only, a 130kW, single motor set-up delivers 310 Nm torque and a 325km range, using a 88.5kW battery pack located under the centre of the vehicle.

Scheduled for production in September 2022 in China, the first examples available to drive away should land by the end of the year or early 2023. While final pricing and spec is just a little vague, the company has confirmed that it will be below $80,000 meaning it will attract the clean vehicle subsidy that currently sits at $8,625.

The double-cab format with a conventional rear well-side deck has a load rating of 900kg with a towing capacity of 1,000kg.

The company notes that using the vehicle at its maximum towing capacity will reduce its overall range by around 50%. Charging is AC or DC and safety specifications will include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, rear camera, radar and stability control.

Vehicles can be reserved with a refundable $1,000 deposit at the LDV NZ website:

www.ldv.co.nz.

More like this

Featured

Editorial: Credit where it's due

OPINION: While farmers are busy and diligently doing their best to deal with unwanted gasses, the opponents of farming - namely the Greens and their mates - are busy polluting the atmosphere with tirades of hot air about what farmers supposedly aren't doing.

Farmers Lead Sustainability Push: Woodchip bioreactor cuts nitrate runoff in Manawatu

Claims that farmers are polluters of waterways and aquifers and 'don't care' still ring out from environmental groups and individuals. The phrase 'dirty dairying' continues to surface from time to time. But as reporter Peter Burke points out, quite the opposite is the case. He says, quietly and behind the scenes, farmers are embracing new ideas and technologies to make their farms sustainable, resilient, environmentally friendly and profitable.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Fonterra vote

OPINION: Voting is underway for Fonterra’s divestment proposal, with shareholders deciding whether or not sell its consumer brands business.

Follow the police beat

OPINION: Politicians and Wellington bureaucrats should take a leaf out of the book of Canterbury District Police Commander Superintendent Tony Hill.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter