AN ICONIC British car brand has launched a new electric 4×4 through its sister firm – and it’s one of the cheapest of its kind.
The massive motor is a first for the UK market, beating out big names like Ford and Toyota.
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Many Brit drivers might be less than familiar with Maxus, but the marque is set to become a much more common sight on our roads.
Owned by the massive Chinese corporation SAIC, it is perhaps best known as the sister brand to MG since the latter left British ownership in 2005.
But despite being a relative unknown here, Maxus has managed something which none of its big-name rivals ever have.
The release of the new eTerron 9 will make it the first 4×4 electric pickup truck ever sold in the UK.
And it would have been the first EV pick-up in general, if it wasn’t replacing the Maxus T90EV, which used a rear-wheel drive system.
The new model boasts a pair of synchronised electric motors, developing a combined 435 horsepower.
That power combines with an advanced air suspension system, allowing owners to adjust ride height and softness by up to 60mm.
Not only does this improve comfort, but it can improve range on higher-speed roads.
Designed to rival trucks like the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux, storage space is the name of the game of the eTerron.
It features a nearly 8ft rear bed, which can be extended further by dropping the rear portion of the driver’s cab.
That’s in addition to a ‘frunk’ under the bonnet with 236-litres of space.
However, it does lose out to its rivals in terms of payload, with its 620kg capacity comparatively small.
That also means it doesn’t qualify for the commercial vehicle tax band, which qualifies the Raptor and Hilux for a discount.
Pre-orders will be available in October, before a general release in January.
Exact pricing remains unconfirmed, but it is expected to come in around £50,000, making it one of the cheapest pickups on the market.
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