Louth Motoring: Powering Irish fleets towards an electric future

The Harris group is a formidable commercial vehicle player here in Ireland and the name behind such brands as LDV, Maxus, Higer and Isuzu. The LDV name now falls under Maxus which now has a particular emphasis on EV commercial vehicles.

They have a diesel offering in the form of the Deliver 9 but for how long depends on appetite, market take-up, government and EU legislation pressure / initiatives. One thing for sure is that the canny Harris group won't be far away from being on the right side of the prevailing argument to ensure commercial customers have the right vehicles at the right time.

The commercial EV path is the same for the private customer but without the emotion. The financials tend to outgun all other arguments and the transition to EV ticks a number of boxes for commercial customers.

Electric vans produce zero tailpipe emissions allowing these vehicles to align with company & government sustainability goals making it easier for businesses to meet their environmental commitments. EV operating costs are lower due to the lower price of electricity compared to diesel or petrol and there’s the all-important reduced maintenance costs from fewer moving parts lessening potential repairs.

What we have this week is the Maxus eDeliver 7. Not as catchy as Ford Transit or VW Transporter but that's the intended competition.

And what Maxus has delivered is a van that looks like it could be the product of either of those makers. I see elements of both in terms of looks and interior in the eDeliver 7.

The front is the main place where the van designers can express themselves and the flowing, curvy front of the e Deliver 7 exemplifies this with a faux grille taking elements of the Maxus logo to make it look like it needs cooling air.

Livery designers will thank Maxus for the fairly blank canvas on the sides and the back allowing them to express their own creativity.

The vital commercial credentials of the eDeliver 7 are 5,364mm long, a range of up to 370 kilometres, 330N.m of Torque and a payload of up to 1,135kg (trailer capacity of 1,500kgs as well) making it suitable for a wide range of commercial uses, big or small. The transition commercial vehicle users have to make is the same for private users and will require forensic focus on daily, regular and infrequent use.

For most commercial customers I suspect an EV van will meet their requirements most of the time. For companies that just carry and deliver, the change in planning should be minimal and I know a lot of courier companies that are quietly making the transition to electric deliveries.

The eDeliver 7 comes with two battery sizes, two lengths and two heights for the expected varied customers with the minimum cargo volume at 5.9m3.

It’ll take 43 minutes to charge it from 20% to 80% at a fast charger, so perfect for a lunch break during a busy workday. An overnight charge takes 9.3 hours, ideal for off-duty charging.

What vans provide nowadays in terms of comfort and safety features is the same for cars and the eDeliver 7 has all the expected features including a 12.3inch infotainment screen, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, 3 drive modes, heated windscreen and steering wheel.

The standard safety features is extensive with Blind Spot Detection, Lane Change Assist System, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Door opening Warning, Front & Rear Parking Sensor, AEBS (Autonomous Emergency Braking System), Reversing Camera, FCW (Front Collision Warning System), 360° Camera, Lane Departure Warning & Lane Keeping Assist System, Emergency Lane Keeping Assist System, Speed Limit Sign Identification System, Fatigue Driving Monitoring and Early Warning System, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, and ESP+EBA+HHC.

These features not only enhance driver comfort but also ensure a higher level of safety, especially for long hours on the road. The layout of the controls and features would be at home in any passenger car with nothing that stuck out as jarring. A driver in the cab of the eDeliver7 all day, or just the to and from commute, won't feel any way shortchanged.

To assure fleet operators making the transition to EVs, Maxus provides an added layer of value with its Intelligence Onboard system. This system offers live data on vehicle location, speed, and charge state, making fleet management more efficient. Operators can monitor the status of each van in real time, ensuring optimal performance and charging schedules, which is crucial for logistics and delivery businesses.

I love driving vans for that commanding view of the road and the always excellent mirrors. The vehicle I had was obviously new and unloaded so the driving experience would be pretty rare in that setup.

It felt very powerful and when travelling at pace it was a quiet vehicle with no booming noise, despite being empty. It was a bit bouncy due to the lack of cargo, but that would smooth out with a typical load. Off motorway driving where these vans will be required to visit every nook and cranny in Ireland it was a pretty effortless van to drive.

Cornering was very stable and lateral movement kept to a minimum. Van drivers expect no less these days and rightly so. Consumption is a claimed 27.5 kWh/100km with my return less than that at 23.0 kWh/100km, explainable by the empty cargo section.

The Maxus eDeliver 7 range starts from €54,995 and comes with a 5 year / 100,000 km warranty and includes 5 years roadside assistance.