There is a lot of talk about the importance of an electric commercial vehicle in the New Zealand market and while there are a handful of competitors in this space, LDV was here first and comprehensively too.
Vehicle manufacturers have made brave, bold moves to introduce electrified commercial vehicles, but only one has made a significant in-road in terms of delivering a cost effective and comprehensive range of electric vans.
The brand is LDV, and the van range is two-fold: the eDeliver3 – a city smart delivery vehicle and its larger stablemate, the eDeliver9 which has two van and one cab chassis option. The vans are the 9.7m3 ‘Big’ and the vehicle tested, the 11m3 ‘Bigger’.
The LDV electric range is sold alongside the conventional diesel-powered fleet of Big, Bigger and Biggest, vans and, for the sake of providing a complete picture, LDV also offers the electric T60 2WD utility. So: a ute, cab chassis options and five vans – two of which are electric – make up the commercial range offering from LDV.
Those two electric vans come with battery options: two for the Big and three for the Bigger which has a 51.5kWh battery, a 72kWh battery and the 88.55kWh with their respective WLTP combined range figures of 186, 236 and 296kms.
Payload is perhaps a van user’s most critical consideration and unfortunately, this is an area where electric vans get complicated with the smallest battery/range vehicle offering the greatest payload.
Thus, the 51.5kWH has an 1160kg payload, the 72kWh a 980kg payload and the 88.55kWh an 860kg payload, which can put a new complexion on things.
Despite this, in our humble opinion, the biggest of the ‘Bigger’ range (88kWh battery) is the one to choose for those looking for the most flexible van option.
By ‘flexible’ we mean the greatest ability to carry the largest amount of cargo the furthest distance with the least amount of downtime when it comes to ‘refuelling’.
If your van requirements are contained to single city work say around Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and so forth, then the 72kWh with its slightly reduced range might be a better solution, but…
…you should also be considering recharge times. While passenger vehicles can get away with Alternating Current (AC or ‘slow’ charging options when it comes to charging stations, commercial vehicle users should be looking at the DC, or Direct Current (fast) charging options.
In the case of the biggest of the ‘Bigger’ vans, you can expect about 45 minutes for battery charge to go from 20 to 80 percent, which is pretty good. The smaller 72kWh battery should do the same charge in about 36 minutes.
But you’ll want to know more about the van itself first, so here’s our take on it.
The LDV eDeliver9 vans are – by and large – the same as each other when it comes to specification and configuration.
Safety first: Front and side airbags for driver and passenger, electronic stability programme, cruise control, adjustable overspeed alarm, lane assist, reverse camera, blind spot monitoring and tyre pressure monitoring make for an impressive array of safety features for a contemporary commercial.
Luxuries: air conditioning (very effective) electric windows, 10.1-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, USB and MP5 compatibility, crew seat bench with independent driver’s seat boasting side lumbar support and armrest all in a wide, easily accessible cross through cabin.
Convenience: Front and rear radar, rear wing doors with 236 degree hinges for widest possible access, double side sliding doors into the 3413mm x 1800mm x 1802mm cargo area.
Despite its name, the Bigger van is easy to operate with a good turning circle and well balanced steering. Visibility is excellent thanks to the electrically adjustable and heated mirrors, but the most impressive feature is the incredible sound of silence in the glasshouse of the cabin.
Once the aircon has done its thing, the peace and quiet of the LDV eDeliver9 makes all day driving behind the wheel almost as relaxing as being at a day spa. Not a bad way to earn a living…
