Are there electric utes available in Australia?

Utes are hugely popular in Australia – in the first half of 2023 there were 25,000 new ute sales, making up 20 per cent of all new vehicles on the road.

Utes typically cover around 40 per cent more distance in their vehicles than the average car¹. This means there are not only increased emissions from travelling further, but vehicle emissions and fuel costs are also multiplied simply because these vehicles are bigger and heavier.

Because of this, switching to electric utes can offer big savings in fuel and maintenance costs compared to traditional vehicles, at the same time making a big contribution towards reducing carbon emissions.

Despite the clear environmental benefits to electrifying the largest vehicles on our roads, it’s understandable that drivers not familiar with the capabilities of electric vehicles may have concerns about whether an electric ute can do everything their internal combustion engine (ICE) ute can.

In fact, electric utes – known as pickup trucks in the US - have many advantages over diesel counterparts, like instant torque, fast acceleration, and ample power to haul heavy loads. They also have sufficient driving ranges for everyday use, can power devices and tools, and perform "tank turns" if they have a motor on each wheel allowing the vehicle to spin in place, like a tank, to quickly change direction or navigate tight spaces.

While towing heavy loads will reduce driving range, many electric utes available overseas offer big battery pack options providing up to 800km driving range on a single charge.

Up until now, the main problems for electric utes in Australia are price, choice and supply. In 2023, only one model, the LDV eT60, was available, priced at $92,990 before on-roads - nearly double the cost of a diesel LDV T60 Pro 4X4. Specs included an 88kWh battery, WLTP range of 330km, 130kW motor with 310Nm torque and a one-tonne tow capacity.

There are also companies converting electric utes such as Roev and SEA-Electric – but these are largely being supplied to industries such as mining.

Now, the tide looks to be turning. There are now at least three more electric utes confirmed for Australia. 

The Australian electric ute segment is heating up with three intriguing entries poised to electrify the market: the Isuzu D-Max EV, JAC T9, and LDV's forthcoming electric pickup. Plus, the Ford F-150 Lightning is already available through remanufactured AUSEV. Each offers a unique blend of specs and features, aiming to cater to diverse tastes and requirements within the electric vehicle domain. 

Isuzu D-Max BEV 

Perhaps the most interesting addition to the electric vehicle market will be the Isuzu D-Max BEV (battery electric vehicle).  

As one of the top five most popular vehicles in Australia, the fossil-fuelled D-Max ute is already a familiar sight on Australian roads. 

Unveiled in March by the Japanese heavy-duty vehicle maker, the battery-powered version of the D-Max will boast a 66.9kWh battery on an all-wheel  drive platform with 130kW power (40kW from the front motor and 90kW from the rear motor), outputting a maximum 325Nm torque. 

With a maximum towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes and max payload of 1 tonne, its ladder frame chassis promises decent off-road capabilities. 

While specifics like driving range are still under wraps, the D-Max marks a significant move by Isuzu into the electric vehicle space. Isuzu said in a global release that it will launch the D-Max BEV first in “select mainland Europe markets,” such as Norway in 2025. After this, the D-Max BEV will be rolled out to right-hand drive markets including Australia, UK and Thailand. 

Tembo Tusker

In July 2024, Dutch off-road specialist Tembo revealed it will sell the cheapest electric ute to date in Australia. Priced from $74,000, the dual-cab Tusker-D and single-cab Tusker-S are both available in rear and all-wheel drive options.

These utes, geared towards tradespeople and off-road enthusiasts, boast 120-130kW of power, a V2L socket and up to 400km range. Tembo, acquired by Vivopower in 2020, is trialling these vehicles in mining environments, and first deliveries are expected from August.

LDV Maxus Electric Ute 

Source: Car News China

In 2024, LDV plans to release another electric ute in Australia, offering a range of 600km and off-road capability. Known as the Maxus GST in its concept form, it is expected to arrive locally in the second quarter of 2024. 

While official production specs are yet to be confirmed, the Maxus GST concept uses a body-on-frame construction and a quad-motor all-wheel drive powertrain with 746kW power, achieving a 0-100km/h sprint in about three seconds.  

Moreover, it will offer a vehicle-to-load capability and promises a tank turn function, a 400mm air suspension, a dozen terrain modes and rough terrain escape sensors that scan up to 50m ahead. 

Kia Tasman EV 

An all-electric electric ute from Kia may make its Australian debut in 2026, following the launch of its diesel counterpart now confirmed for late 2024. According to reports, the South Korean carmaker has trademarked the name “Tasman” in Australia, and it is believed this name could grace both the ICE and EV version of Kia’s first ute in Australia.  

Part of Kia's ambitious plan to introduce 14 new EVs within five years, no more specifics are yet known for the all-electric version – stay tuned. 

Riddara RD6 and Horizon electric ute

Volvo parent Geely confirmed it has plans for “global markets” when it unveiled its all-electric Radar RD6 in 2022, and in April 2024 it revealed the all-wheel drive version saying that subsidiary Radar Auto would expand into global markets including Australia.

The electric ute was previously expected to be sold under the Radar Auto moniker, but with Geely facing a trademark battle in Australia against a tyre maker also called Radar, it is expected to sell in Australia under the Riddara name.

Local specs have not yet been announced but in China, Radar Auto is selling the Riddara in two two-wheel-drive RD6 variants, and three Horizon four-wheel-drive variants, with features like three-tonne towing and 800kg payload, a hefty 21kW V2L (vehicle-to-load) bidirectional charging capacity, wade depth of 815mm, seven driving modes and acceleration from 0-100km/hr in 4.5 seconds.

JAC T9 EV

Source: Autohome

With the turbo-diesel JAC T9 ute now landed in Australia, an all-electric variant is expected to follow. 

Official specifications and launch date for Australia are yet to be revealed, although a mid-2024 date has been previously been reported. Chinese media reports that it will debut at the upcoming Beijing Auto Show with a dual-motor 4WD format delivering peak power and torque of 70kW/176Nm for the front motor and 160kW/342Nm torque for the rear motor.  A stack-welded frame encasing an 88.02kWh battery for a 500km range (an ambitious figure based on the Chinese testing standard known as CLTC.)  
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Ford F-150 Lightning electric ute

The Ford F-150 Lightning is now available in Australia, but at a hefty price. It's not available through Ford, but instead through remanufacturing outfit AUSEV. 

Priced from $AU224,990 before on-roads charges and fees, it is available in two Standard Range and Extended Range variants.

Top specs include 515km driving range, 131kWh battery, 433kW power, 1050Nm torque and the ability to tow up to 4.5 tonnes.

It also includes a slew of towing assistance tech including backup and reverse assist/guidance, smart hitch, on-board scales and brake controller, and the ability to power a home using a home integration system during a blackout.

BYD electric ute to arrive in 2024

BYD is pushing to release the plug-in hybrid Shark ute by the end of 2024, followed by a battery electric version sometime in 2025.

Whether it will arrive with specs to suit the Australian market is still up in the air, however. At its Mexican launch in May, the all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid Shark was revealed with a total output of 320kW including 170kW/310Nm for the front electric motor and 150kW/340Nm for the rear electric motor. Thisset up offers acceleration from 0-100km/hr in 5.7 seconds according to BYD.

Its 30kWh battery pack delivers an all-electric driving range of up to 100km (NEDC, so about 70km in real world terms), and comes with a top DC fast charging rate of 40kW. It also comes with V2L, allowing drivers to use the battery - which is larger than the original Nissan Leaf's 24kWh battery pack - to charge devices and tools. 

While these specs sound attractive, the payload capacity of 835kg (compared to 1 tonne for some rivals) and tow rating of 2.5 tonnes (compared to 3.5 tonnes for certain rivals) may not be met with enthusiasm on the local market.  

An all-electric version of the Shark is expected to follow in 2025. While specs for this are still thin on the ground, it is thought it will have a potential real-world driving range of 800km is expected to compete with the eT60 electric ute on price.

Tesla Cybertruck

 

No electric ute list is complete without a mention of the Tesla Cybertruck, but though first deliveries began in November 2023 in the US, there are doubts about when and if it will arrive in Australia.

In April 2024, the Cybertruck arrived in Australia to do a tour of Australian Tesla showrooms so locals could see for themselves the angular electric ute close up. Whether or not this means the Cybertruck will be sold locally is still unknown, though it is a promising sign that Tesla may be considering it.  

Known specs include a sub-3 second sprint from 0-100km/hr, towing capacity of 6.35 tonnes, and up to 800km driving range.

The Cybertruck will also incorporate Tesla's signature tech features, Autopilot, and a durable exoskeleton. Meanwhile, other American automakers like Rivian, GMC, Bollinger and Ram have developed electric pickups, but their availability in Australia is still uncertain.

A Toyota electric ute for Australia?

Toyota in August announced plans to trial an electric ute prototype in Australia, specifically designed for short trips.

Known as the Revo, the electric single-cab Hilux has just 300km range and a 4x2 powertrain.

Although Toyota exec Sean Hanley admitted he was impressed by its ride, he ruled it out as a true off-roader.

In May, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Asia Pras Ganesh confirmed to Reuters that the battery-electric Hilux would be produced for the Thai domestic market, which means it will be built in right-hand-drive.

Ganesh reportedly said that he would consider exporting the Hilux BEV - but not before considering how much range it would need. 

"The more range I have to put on it, the more battery I have to put on it, which means the weight of the vehicle also becomes significantly heavier, which means the loading can be much less," Ganesh said according to Reuters.

"So 'Is it going to meet the customer's usage needs?' is always our biggest issue. We are always trying to understand what they do."

There are also reports of another concept codenamed the EPU that is aimed at families rather than tradies, that may make it here by 2030 according to Drive. 

Toyota has not actually fully committed to bringing an all-electric pickup to Australia, although a battery electric ute is expected in Asia by the end of the year.

GWM Ute EV powers on

First seen at the Beijing Auto Show, the Poer electric ute will apparently be called the GWM Ute EV in Australia, following the trend of cutting the Ora Funky Cat electric hatchback name to a more easy-to-swallow GWM Ora.

Specs are said to include an electric power output of 150kW and a torque of 300Nm, with a range spanning 405km – however, an arrival date is yet to be announced.

Reference 1. https://theconversation.com/electric-utes-can-now-power-the-weekend-and-the-work-week-199600

10 May 2024: This article was updated to add information about the Tesla Cybertruck arriving in Australia, and the Ford F-150 Lightning on sale through AUSEV.
21 May 2024: This article was updated to add news that Toyota Asia will make a battery-electric Hilux for the Thai market, and information about the PHEV BYD Shark.
15 July 2024: This article was updated to add the Tembo Tusker and update information about the Riddara RD6 ( previously known as the Radar RD6) and Horizon.​