Maxus is going to offer an electric pickup truck, something few others have done in the Irish market so far. The new eTerron 9 has just been launched at the massive IAA Transportation commercial vehicles show in Hannover.
How much power does this pickup have?
The eTerron 9, when it arrives, will be packing a substantial 441hp thanks to a 125kW electric motor driving the front wheels, and a 200kW motor driving the rear wheels. Powering those is a large 102kWh battery from which Maxus claims a range of up to 430km on one charge.
The eTerron 9 will also come with a huge level of driver personalisation, including a driving mode selection system that allows six different modes — including Normal, Mud, and Sand — as well as control of such items as stability control, energy recovery and the height of the standard air suspension. Maxus actually says that you can set the eTerron 9 up in 400 different ways, according to your tastes.
What about charging?
That big battery can be charged at up to 115kW of DC power, meaning a 20-80 per cent charge takes around 40 minutes. It’s a lithium-iron phosphate battery — generally considered to be more robust and long-lived than lithium-ion batteries — and it’s encased in a nine-cell protective frame, to keep away the bumps and bashes of off-roading. It’s also thermally managed so that the range doesn’t disappear in cold weather.
At 5.5 metres long, the eTerron 9 is a big old beast, but it comes with car-like creature comforts such as soft leather seats, including eight-way electric adjustment with heating and cooling - and massage - for the driver’s seat. The two front seats also fold flat, turning the cabin into an ersatz bedroom. There’s also a massive pair of digital screens for the infotainment and instruments.
Any clever tricks?
Well, the massive load bay - which can handle up to 620kg of load - is augmented by a massive ‘frunk’ which sees the whole front end of the eTerron 9 electrically open to reveal a 236-litre storage area. Handy for charging cables, and there’s even a fold-out seat in the frunk if you fancy stopping for a nice alfresco coffee.
The air suspension gets a multi-link arrangement, which Maxus claims ‘reduces the rolling and pitching movements of the vehicle’. That air suspension can alter the vehicle height for on-road or off-road driving, and if you’re loading heavy objects into the back, the rear suspension drops down to lower the access height by 60mm.
Want to see at night? Well, the Maxus eTerron 9 has ultra-bright Great Surround-Terrain Lighting System, which includes high-beam lights that can illuminate an object up to 400 metres away.
Finally, the eTerron 9 uses a semi-monocoque construction (mixed unibody and separate chassis elements) and lots of high-strength steel, and Maxus says that it expects a full five-star safety score when the eTerron 9 is tested by Euro NCAP in the coming months.
We know that our US cousins are keen on using pickups as everyday cars, but would Maxus’ all-electric eTerron 9 convince you to make the switch?