Maxus eDeliver 9 Review

​So why is that relevant for the Maxus eDeliver 9? Well, Maxus is a brand on a mission. A similar mission to MG, and one backed by the same parent company. SAIC is China’s biggest light vehicle manufacturer, and Maxus is its mainstream van brand. 

Like MG, it was formed from the embers of a company that was once part of the collapsed British Rover Group – LDV. And much of the battery technology and engineering comes from the same engineers. 

Maxus vans have been around since 2005, badged initially as LDVs to retain an element of familiarity. But the latest generation of Maxus models have been designed from the ground-up by SAIC with electrification front of mind. 

Its focus right now is on disrupting the electric van market, offering substantial value for money and a locally targeted dealer network that’s ideal for small business users and SMEs, rather than going for large fleets. That means keen pricing, high specs and short lead times. 

The Maxus eDeliver 9 is a large panel van, sold as a direct (but cheaper) rival to the likes of the Peugeot e-Boxer and Vauxhall Movano Electric. For businesses who need a large electric van but with a focus on cost-saving, it’s quite a compelling proposition.

Range, Battery and Charging

The Maxus eDeliver 9 comes with a choice of three battery sizes - 51.5kWh (with 112 miles range WLTP), 72kWh (146 miles) and 88.55kWh (219 miles). All are equipped with a punchy 201PS motor with three driving modes: 'Eco', 'Normal' and 'Power'. 

Using a three-pin socket, charging the smaller battery takes 27 hours and the larger ones takes 37.5 hours, but with a 7kWh home charger that changes to just under seven or just over nine hours.

Using DC fast charging, a charge from 20-80% will take 45 mins for all three batteries. 

Practicality, Payload and Dimensions

The Maxus eDeliver 9 is available in two different body lengths: 'MH' medium (5546mm) and 'LH' long (5,940mm). The total cargo volume ranges from 9.7 to 11.0 cubic metres depending on body style, with a competitive payload from 1040kg (73kWh MH) to 1200kg (51kWh MH).

Whichever body style you go for, it’s spacious and well laid-out, with a flat load floor. The load bay is functional – the twin barn-style back doors have a maximum width of 1570mm to load through with 1366mm between the wheel arches, and the side loading door is 1269mm in width, allowing for a Euro pallet to be loaded from the side as well as the rear. 

The load bay features automatic LED lighting and a total of eight lashing points – fewer than most rivals but enough for most, and the battery pack is both completely flat and positioned beneath the floor so as not to impact on the space available.

Interior, Seating and Technology

On first impressions, the cab is well-equipped and smartly presented with a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system and smartphone-mirroring, offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. 

It’s not got the touch and feel of more premium rivals, though – up close, some of the trim is rough and cheaply finished, though it does at least feel workmanlike and durable. 

The digital instrument binnacle gives range and performance readouts and is clear and easy to read, and the simple touchscreen, while lacking in advanced functions, is intuitive and very straightforward to use. For vans used by multiple drivers, this is a plus-point. 

Safety kit is very good, with surround view monitoring, autonomous emergency braking and lane change assist as standard, while there are also upmarket features you wouldn’t always expect in a van at this price level, including cruise control, climate control, and a reversing camera, although this is mounted above the rear doors and can make tight distances quite difficult to judge.

Motors, Performance and Handling

There are three drive modes available and you’ll only achieve the maximum range of 219 miles (or less, depending on battery) in ‘Eco’.

All three batteries have the same 210PS electric motor and it feels quite lively even in ‘Eco’ with a good burst of initial speed, as well as being quiet and refined when cruising. It’s a well-matched unit to the van’s size and weight and is one of the better large electric vans we’ve driven – it’s no Mercedes-Benz e-Sprinter but it’ll give the Stellantis large vans a run for their money. 

It rides well even when unladen and feels well-damped. Indeed, it’s a genuinely impressive vehicle to drive – far better than the diesel Deliver 9 sister model. 

There are three regenerative braking modes, the strongest of which slows the van to walking pace but isn’t overly harsh in its application.

Running costs, Pricing and Specs

All Maxus vehicles come with a five years’ warranty or 125,000 miles of cover and include five years’ of roadside assistance cover as standard. The battery gets its own eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

There’s only one trim level – the Lux – but it’s comprehensively equipped with alloy wheels and metallic paint as options.

It’s not cheap – no large electric van is – but it’s around 15% cheaper than the Stellantis vans, 20% cheaper than a Ford e-Transit and a whopping 40% beneath a Mercedes-Benz e-Sprinter with comparative equipment. 

Verdict

It may not be a major player in terms of sales volumes, but the Maxus eDeliver 9 is a genuinely impressive large electric van – offered at a convincingly affordable price level, but far better than the price differential between it and its core rivals might imply.

Our only real grumble is that to match the range of other large electric vans, you need the bigger battery to match their range. Nonetheless, it’s the most convincing Maxus van in the line-up.