Maxus eDeliver 7
The Maxus range continues to grow with a model set to compete with the Ford E-Transit Custom. By John Kendall
Maxus’ entry into the electric LCV market in the UK has been slow but steady and is now starting to accelerate. Joining the recent arrivals, the eDeliver 9, Maxus’ challenger in the 3.5-tonne GVW sector, and the T90 EV electric pickup is the eDeliver 7, launched at the CV Show last year. Maxus’ newest offering, which will compete in the medium van sector against established rivals, demonstrates another big step forward in EV technology from the Chinese manufacturer. There’s more to come too when Maxus takes the wraps off the smaller eDeliver 5 at the CV Show in April at the NEC.
eDeliver 7 comes to market at around the same time as the Ford E-Transit Custom – and there are some visual similarities between the two.
Maxus has opted for a more comprehensive model range than most of its rivals, with L1H1, L2H1 and L2H2 variants available. The van boasts a thoroughly modern interior and, more to the point, a wide range of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). These technologies include a long list of standard equipment, such as blind spot detection, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert, front collision warning system, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist. There’s also autonomous cruise control with stop and go, driver fatigue monitoring and warning systems, front and rear parking systems, a reversing camera, 360° view system and others. You might expect a lot of equipment for £45,000, but it’s a comprehensive list just the same.
It will be interesting to see if the extensive model lineup remains. The country’s most popular van, the Transit Custom, is most visible in L1H1 form, as are its rivals and no doubt Maxus will soon find out what its customers are looking for.
What the customers will find is a model that doesn’t look as though it’s playing catch-up with its European rivals, either externally or in the cab, which features a modern digital dashboard. This is matched by the driving experience, which is more engaging than the older Maxus electric models and offers some serious competition to its established rivals. You can argue whether a model produced by a company operating in a planned economy can fairly compete with European models produced in a market economy, but van buyers will be focused on price and value for money.
Since the latest Maxus is not short of driver appeal either, it looks set to please fleet owners and drivers alike. Maxus UK importer, the Ireland-based Harris Group, has set up a UK head office in Liverpool to handle the growing Maxus UK business and has been recruiting people with extensive experience in the van business. So eDeliver 7 is a serious van which comes with some serious backing. We shall be watching progress with interest.
