LDV reveals NZ’s first electric ute, opens online orders

LDV has given New Zealand Ute owners the opportunity to go electric, with orders of the EV T60 now available online.

The Chinese manufacturer has toppled the likes of Ford and Toyota in the race to bring a full EV Ute to New Zealand. 

No pricing has been confirmed, but NZ Autocar Magazine understands the base EV T60 will have a drive-away price tag under $80,000. It will also be applicable for a rebate under the NZ clean car act.

We expect first orders to be delivered between October and November this year. For now, eager consumers can order the EV T60 with a $1000 refundable deposit.

An 88.5kW battery supplies power to a 130kW/310Nm motor mounted on the rear axle. Range is still up in the air. Some reports claim a single charge will give you just over 320 km of driving, while others suggest that figure is much higher.

The EV T60 is a double cab ute, like its internal combustion cousin, which uses a 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo diesel engine.

Towing capacity is said to be one tonne, and the payload is a claimed 980kgs.

Inside, it looks like the T60 EV is relatively similar to the non-electric variant. There’s a touchscreen we presume is the same 10.25-inch size as before. It also comes with driving assists you would expect from a modern-day ute. 

LDV has ventured into EVs before with its commercial van range. But the T60 EV is the first time it has developed the technology for a ute. 

Perhaps it’s the first small step towards what’s to come?