Maxus wants to convince your business to switch to all-electric power with this compact model, the eDeliver 3. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Background

If the motor industry is serious about reducing smog in our cities, it needs to put as much effort into electrification in vans as in cars. Particularly when it comes to the more compact LCVs that account for most sales. With many of the established van brands proving slow off the mark in this regard, it's been left to a segment newcomer, Chinese maker Maxus, to show what can be done with this model, the eDeliver 3. This Chinese model compete in a crowded market for full-electric compact vans against models like the Renault Kangoo E-Tech, the Nissan Townstar Electric, the Vauxhall Combo Electric, the Citroen e-Berlingo, the Peugeot e-Partner, the Fiat E-Doblo and the Ford Transit Courier Electric. The Maxus eDeliver 3 easily undercuts all these rivals both on price and specification. But can it offer other attributes strong enough to justify business customers committing to an unknown mark in this segment?

Driving Experience

The eDeliver 3 certainly spears away from rest in the way early electric vehicles used to, but it runs out of puff quite quickly. Rest to 62mph takes between 11 and 12 seconds, depending on the variant you choose and the modest top speed is 75mph. Still, all variants have 255Nm of pulling power, so there's plenty of mid-range grunt should you need to dart into a gap in the traffic. There's a choice of electric powertrains; either a 35kWh package or a larger 50.23kWh battery pack. You'll want to know about driving range. The entry-level 35kWh variant has a maximum claimed WLTP-rated range of 99 miles (rising to 141 miles in the city). The larger capacity 50.23kWh battery improves these readings to 151 miles (or 213 miles in the city). To get near those figures, you'll have to regularly engage the provided 'Eco' drive mode - the alternative is a 'Regular' setting. There are three selectable energy recovery modes too. Across the range, the braked towing capacity is up to 1,200kg. And the turning radius is 5.87-metres. The kerb weight (1,425kg) is quite substantial for a small van and you certainly feel that in the way this eDeliver 3 crashes over bump and speed humps like a go-kart: off hand, we can't recall testing a more stiffly-sprung vehicle of an kind. Or any EV with a louder electric motor than this one.

Design and Build

The e Deliver 3 has a squat solid look, with chunky styling and a rather interesting V-shaped crease that spears forward into an arrow shape across the front doors. At the front, blue trimming across the blanked-off grille designates this as an all-electric LCV and large headlights smear back into the front wings. You won't be expecting tactile plastics around the cabin - and you don't get them, but it feels modern enough behind the wheel and the driver's seat is actually quite comfortable, with plenty of adjustment. Everything seems built to last - this feels like a cabin that could withstand the rigours of a hard working life. The fascia is dominated by an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment screen which can support 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. There's a multi-function steering wheel with rake adjustment and, unusually for a van, you get a passenger airbag as standard.

Market and Model

Prices for the eDeliver 3 are pitched from £34,000 excluding VAT, but that falls to £29,000 once the approved UK government electric vehicle grant has been subtracted from the asking price, making this one of the best value all electric vans on the market. It significantly undercuts its three main rivals, the Renault Kangoo E-Tech, the Mercedes eCitan and the Nissan Townstar Electric. The eDeliver 3 is available in two body styles: a short wheelbase panel van or a platform chassis. There are two battery output options, either 35kWh or 50.23kWh. Whichever eDeliver 3 model you choose, it'll come with plenty of equipment. You can tick off electric windows and immobiliser, a multifunction steering wheel, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, electric windows and powered mirrors. There's also an 8-inch centre-dash screen with 'Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. Plus as you'd expect, there's a driver's airbag - and a front passenger airbag too. And a stainless steel cargo area floor, plus ESC stability control and the usual assistance for braking and traction control.

Practicalities and Costs

The single short wheelbase variant offered in our market can offer 4.8m³ of capacity. The floor height is 1330mm. The cargo area length is 2,180mm, with 1,665mm of width, narrowing to 1,220mm wide between the wheel arches. Payloads vary between 865kgs and 945kgs for the eDeliver 3 short wheelbase variant. The width of the single offside sliding door is 710mm and the sliding door height is 1,230mm. There are four floor-mounted tough black tie-down eyes, plus a bright central roof light. And there's a heavy-duty bulkhead, but unfortunately, no incorporated flap within it that would allow you to push longer items into the cab. So they might have to go outside. The eDeliver 3 can take up to 75kg on its roof in its short wheelbase form. What about charging? Well Maxus says that the 35kWh battery pack can be fully recharged in 6 hours using a standard AC charging station, with the bigger 50.23Wh unit taking 8 hours using the same kind of charger. When plugged into a DC fast charger - if you can find one - both powerpacks should be able to recharge to 80% in about 45 minutes. Energy consumption is rated at 24.36kWh per 100km for the 35kWh version; or 23.63kWh per 100km for the 50.23kWh variant. Finally, if you're worried about buying from an unfamiliar brand, we'll tell you that all Maxus vehicles come with a five year warranty or 125,000 miles of cover and include five years roadside assistance cover as standard.

Summary

It's certainly getting easier to make the switch to a full-EV vehicle. And Maxus has lowered the price point for entry into the BEV van sector with this eDeliver 3 and offers a high value package that many businesses won't take the trouble to check out. Those that do should find lots to like here. We'd ideally like to have seen a longer operating range - but that will come as battery technology improves. For the time being, what's on offer should meet the needs of most urban-based businesses that feel the need for a full-electric van. There's pretty much everything you need here - and not much you don't. As always with Maxus.