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By Jonathan Crouch

Should your next Isuzu D-Max be all-electric? Jonathan Crouch takes a look at the D-Max EV.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 31

Isuzu tries its hand at an electric pick-up with this D-Max EV. The compromises are quite impressively few over the diesel version, but the price is high and range is limited.

Backgroundword count: 101

Pick-up makers know they'll eventually have to create purpose-built EVs - but we're not seeing many of those just yet. We are starting to see a full-electric versions of existing diesel models though - and one of these is the pick-up we look at here, Isuzu's D-Max EV. It looks virtually no different to the black pump-fuelled version, sits on exactly the same ladder-frame chassis and has virtually the same interior. And it can tow and lug around the same amount. Of course beyond that, there are fundamental differences here, not least the vastly increased price. Let's take a closer look.

Engines and Tech Specword count: 258

We've had 2WD electric pick-up trucks, but they're not much use to anyone, so it's not surprising that this one has a motor on each axle, giving a combined output of 188bhp (58bhp at the front and 130bhp at the rear). There's 325Nm of torque (108Nm at the front and 217Nm at the rear), so the grunt that you'd expect from the diesel version is also in evidence here. Those motors are energised by a 66.9kWh battery under the floor, which is smaller than you might expect - as is the range figure; 163 miles. In contrast, rival Maxus eTerron 9 (which has a much more sensibly-sized 102kWh battery) manages substantially more - 267 miles. Isuzu talks of a lack of off-road compromise here but the reality is that because of the battery pack's positioning beneath the carry-over ladder-frame chassis, ground clearance has been reduced from 235mm to 210mm. But you can still wade through water up to 600mm deep. And Isuzu quotes approach and departure angles of 30.5-degrees and 24.2-degrees respectively. Plus there's a dedicated 'Rough Terrain' mode for 'extreme off-road capability'. On tarmac, the ride is aided by bespoke new DeDoin rear suspension designed to improve refinement without sacrificing towing or cargo capacity. The driver gets an energy saving 'Eco' mode and four levels of selectable brake regen. The 4WD system's permanent for winter peace of mind. Only one drivetrain is provided by the single-available eDL40 model and it makes 62mph in 10.1s on the way to just over 80mph. There's a turning radius of 6.1m.

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