LDV EV double cab ute for NZ market.

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › LDV EV double cab ute for NZ market.

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#2874575 25-Feb-2022 09:50

Technofreak:

Thta's a pretty wide sweeping statement you've made there. For that ute to remove the ute tax argument completely it would have to meet the requirements of all ute owners which it clearly doesn't and cannot do.

Excellent entry to the market? Most definitely.

Removes the ute tax argument completely? Most definitely not.

The ute tax argument was never a real argument to begin with. It's not a ute tax, it's an emissions tax. The big SUVs (aka, Remuera tractors) from Range Rover, BMW, Audi, Porsche, etc will receive higher fees than most utes.

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#2874592 25-Feb-2022 10:08

Technofreak:

Removes the ute tax argument completely? Most definitely not.

Yes it does. The argument is that its a ute tax.

Which its obviously not.

Its a pollution tax.

Scott3

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#2874646 25-Feb-2022 11:42

Video review from Gavin here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojoMzpLZVOc

Most interesting bit for me is at 1:35:

Motor / reduction box is unsprung and mounted directly on the differential.

Appears to have no spare tire, which while common for EV's is unusual in the ute segment.

https://evsandbeyond.co.nz/ldv-debuts-the-t60-evldv-debuts-the-t60-ev-nzs-first-electric-ute-new-zealands-first-electric-ute/

Seems like a missed opportunity not to have a storage tub under the bonnet - they could have just done like the ioniq 5 and had one with it's own lid to avoid the need to dust seal to the bonnet. Visibly looks like their is enough space for one.

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#2874660 25-Feb-2022 11:55

Its obviously a throw the electric bits at the chassis we already have compromise.

Wont suite everyone.

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#2874666 25-Feb-2022 11:58

Scott3:

Seems like a missed opportunity not to have a storage tub under the bonnet - they could have just done like the ioniq 5 and had one with it's own lid to avoid the need to dust seal to the bonnet. Visibly looks like their is enough space for one.

Yeah, it's interesting to see manufacturers failing to take advantage of the potential space under the hood - Fifth Gear recently highlighted this with the MX30, which is crazy given it's such a small car as it is so to waste that space seems a crime - this links to that point in the video: https://youtu.be/WPJrgrz2xGw?t=75

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#2874785 25-Feb-2022 14:26

the MX30 engine bay is mostly empty true, this is because they intend to fill it with engine

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#2875107 25-Feb-2022 19:59

Scott3:

One of the reasons I'm interested in this form factor is the ability to drive through large puddles a couple of times a year and over some other small obstacles. The other reasons are the usual utility things. Anyway, is this vehicle designed to handle water to any extent?

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#2875144 25-Feb-2022 22:33

gzt:
One of the reasons I'm interested in this form factor is the ability to drive through large puddles a couple of times a year and over some other small obstacles. The other reasons are the usual utility things. Anyway, is this vehicle designed to handle water to any extent?

Short answer, is that the full spec sheet hasn't been released public ally, so I don't think there is public information to answer your question.

Diesel version is rated for 550mm of wading. Bit shy of say the 700mm of the Hilux.

In terms of the EV version, the lack of an engine air intake eliminated an obvious weak point for deep water wading. Plenty of video's of EV's successfully going comically deep water (for a vehicle that is not a lifted 4x4 with a snorkel). Low item's, such as motor is sealed and liquid cooled, so shouldn't present an issue. Main question is how high the breathers for various components are.

Should note in the liked of vehicles like the Toyota Hilux, yes it is rated to ford 700mm of water at 10km/h. However the maunal says you should bring the car in for service after doing any deep water crossing. This is because some breathers are located below this level, such as the rear diff. When deep water is entered, the diff will cool, sucking water into the breather, contaminating the fluid inside. Hence requiring a fluid change fairly soon. This is pretty standard for most consumer 4x4's.

More serious stuff, like merc G-professional is fitted with breather tubes, basically thin flexiable tubes that go from the low breathers, to somewhere high in the bonnet.

Scott3

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#2875153 25-Feb-2022 23:05

jonathan18:

Yeah, it's interesting to see manufacturers failing to take advantage of the potential space under the hood - Fifth Gear recently highlighted this with the MX30, which is crazy given it's such a small car as it is so to waste that space seems a crime - this links to that point in the video: https://youtu.be/WPJrgrz2xGw?t=75

Yip.

There are people online modifying a frunk one into the Kona electric. Basically add gas struts to the hood, remove the engine plastic trim cover, and then install a box on the same mount points it was on:

The kona electric is a FWD platform, and everything goes into the "stack". Motor, reduction case, inverter, charger etc.

in the LDV T60, The motor, and charger are at the rear, only leaving the Inverter, and some aux systems under the hood. Seems like there would be heaps of space for a decent size storage box. Given there is no hot, vibrating engine in that space, it seems such a shame to waste it.

In my mind, more storage/ cargo space is a selling point on any vehicle. I know double cab utes have a little space behind the back seat, but more storage space would be appreciated by me at least.

The space is hidden, out of the way, fairly secure, yet reasonably accessible without unloading other parts of the vehicle. Perfect place to keep a rarely used charging cable or two... In my leaf the public charge cable occupies valuable boot space. In a ute, it is quite possible for the entire tray to be dedicated to a Dirty / wet / insecure application....

Have the following (in addition to the factory stuff that comes with the car) tucked in various places in my SUV
- Battery Jump pack
- Jumper leads (perhaps redundant)
- Tow strap
- Spare hitch pin (main hitch pin is an anti-rattle one that is slow to install)
- Tow bar (when I get round to taking it off)
- Tire gauge
- Tire deflator
- Key and spanner to suit anti rattle hitch pin.
- Fire extinguisher
- Umbrella's
- Blankets.

Our EV has less stuff, as it is used close to home, but sill gets:
- Tow rope
- Shackel
- Battery jump pack
- mini tire gauge

As it has no spare tire, I also carry the factory 12v compressor and (expired) fix a flat fluid.

I'm sure everybody has their own idea of what would be nice to have tucked away in their car.

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#2875155 25-Feb-2022 23:34

Scott3:

gzt:
One of the reasons I'm interested in this form factor is the ability to drive through large puddles a couple of times a year and over some other small obstacles. The other reasons are the usual utility things. Anyway, is this vehicle designed to handle water to any extent?

Short answer, is that the full spec sheet hasn't been released public ally, so I don't think there is public information to answer your question.

Diesel version is rated for 550mm of wading. Bit shy of say the 700mm of the Hilux.

In terms of the EV version, the lack of an engine air intake eliminated an obvious weak point for deep water wading. Plenty of video's of EV's successfully going comically deep water (for a vehicle that is not a lifted 4x4 with a snorkel). Low item's, such as motor is sealed and liquid cooled, so shouldn't present an issue. Main question is how high the breathers for various components are.

Should note in the liked of vehicles like the Toyota Hilux, yes it is rated to ford 700mm of water at 10km/h. However the maunal says you should bring the car in for service after doing any deep water crossing. This is because some breathers are located below this level, such as the rear diff. When deep water is entered, the diff will cool, sucking water into the breather, contaminating the fluid inside. Hence requiring a fluid change fairly soon. This is pretty standard for most consumer 4x4's.

More serious stuff, like merc G-professional is fitted with breather tubes, basically thin flexiable tubes that go from the low breathers, to somewhere high in the bonnet.

Fitting an aftermarket breather kit is one of the first mods anyone doing reasonably serious off roading does. It's not a big job.

insane

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#2875156 26-Feb-2022 00:02

$80K is a lot for a ute that doesn't stack up well to the established ICE options. You'd have to be pretty set on going full electric.

Perhaps this is good for those who wanted to buy a Kona but were underwhelmed by the boot space and felt 400km of range was overkill?

Let's face it, tradies won't go electric until they look more badass than the alternative. First they went for Amarok's and then Rangers when those came out.

Perhaps this will force the hand of those other players and cause them to bring forward their plans.

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#2875160 26-Feb-2022 00:31

insane: $80K is a lot for a ute that doesn't stack up well to the established ICE options. You'd have to be pretty set on going full electric.

Perhaps this is good for those who wanted to buy a Kona but were underwhelmed by the boot space and felt 400km of range was overkill?

Let's face it, tradies won't go electric until they look more badass than the alternative. First they went for Amarok's and then Rangers when those came out.

Perhaps this will force the hand of those other players and cause them to bring forward their plans.

$72,375 after rebate...

If you compare it to a hilux work mate, it stacks up fine other than the tow rating. Sure it is $42,000 more expensive, but at current fuel prices, that would only buy about 155,000km of fuel at rated economy. And much less than that if you are spending all day in traffic. So it is possible to make the numbers stack up.

But yeah, I suspect these will be purchased by a combination of EV enthusiasts, and corporate fleets looking for green cred.

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#2875170 26-Feb-2022 06:56

Scott3:

drive it around the farm a few times and see if things still work

gzt

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#2875180 26-Feb-2022 08:03

That connector on the right looks vulnerable. There are other vulnerable looking bits. Looks can be deceiving.

I don't know that much about utes. Interested to know what it's rated for. We're probably a marketers worst nightmare speculating here.

In the case it's not a farm vehicle it will still have plenty of takers in some trades and small business. It will not suit everyone but it will suit a lot.

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#2875189 26-Feb-2022 09:04

gzt: ..... In the case it's not a farm vehicle it will still have plenty of takers in some trades and small business. It will not suit everyone but it will suit a lot.

Not sure about a lot, but get what you're saying.

There will be a small group of ute driving innovators/early adoptirs willing to give it a shot. And might take some convincing for the rest of us.

In product this here is often referenced.

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