Maxus eDeliver 7 medium-sized electric van revealed

The 2023 Commercial Vehicle Show was the venue for the unveiling of the Maxus eDeliver 7, the latest electric van from the Chinese brand that rose from the remnants of former British fan maker LDV. It's a medium-sized van that's similar in shape and dimensions to the Ford Transit Custom, but unlike that model, it comes exclusively with electric power.

When fitted with an 88kWh battery, the eDeliver 7 has a range of 226 miles on the WLTP test cycle, while a smaller 77kWh will also be offered. Power comes from a 201bhp electric motor that also has 330Nm of torque, while drive is sent to the front wheels. There's a 0-62mph time of 11 seconds exactly.

Charging includes AC and DC sources, but while a maximum charging rate hasn't been confirmed, Maxus claims that the pack can be charged to 80 per cent capacity in 43 minutes.

Three panel van body sizes will be offered, with the L1H1 offering 5.9 cubic metres of cargo space, the longer wheelbase L2H1 featuring 6.7 cubic metres of space, and the high-roofed L2H2 model offering 8.7 cubic metres. Wheelbases measure 3,000mm for the L1 body and 3,366mm for the L2. There are payloads of up to 1.2 tonnes on offer.

There are Eco, Normal and Power modes to help manage the battery capacity, while safety kit includes blind-spot detection, lane assist, autonomous emergency braking, driver tiredness alert, front and rear parking sensors and 360-degree cameras.

Inside, the cab features a three-seat layout, while the 12.3-inch touchscreen display from the Mifa 9 luxury electric MPV is included as standard. As well as using Maxus's own software, this also features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Speaking at the eDeliver 7's launch, Mark Barrett, Director of Harris Maxus said: “Today marks our fourth vehicle launch at the CV Show, and our sixth EV vehicle launch in just seven years. In that time, we have positioned ourselves as a market leader when it comes to electric vehicles and the eDeliver 7 builds on our EV range.

“Our electric vans have proven popular with businesses in the delivery, pharma and grocery/retail sectors, as well as being the number-one choice for many local councils that are looking to switch to electric. Our latest addition is pitched at those who need more payload capacity than the eDeliver 3, but who may not need the full-size capabilities of our eDeliver 9.”

Prices for the Maxus eDeliver 7 will be announced in June, but expect it to land somewhere between the existing eDeliver 3 and larger eDeliver 9. First deliveries are expected in August.

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