UK pricing for the electric Isuzu D-Max has painted a dim picture for Australian customers on a four-cylinder diesel budget, ahead of its local introduction.
The electric version of the Isuzu D-Max ute could top out at more than $100,000 in Australia – or $30,000 more than an equivalent diesel – once it reaches local showrooms, expected within the next 12 months.
It is despite offering just 263km of claimed range in lab testing – less than a $30,000 BYD Dolphin city hatch – which is likely to halve when its 1000kg payload and 3500kg tow rating are utilised.
UK prices announced overnight place the top-of-the-range D-Max EV eV-Cross at £62,495 drive-away – excluding VAT sales tax – compared to £40,900 for an equivalent diesel V-Cross variant.
Applying that price difference to a high-grade D-Max X-Terrain in Australia – listed for $70,500 plus on-road costs – would equate to an RRP of about $108,000 before on-road costs.
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Even accounting for the larger engine in Australia’s high-grade diesel version – a 3.0-litre, compared to the UK’s 1.9-litre, only offered locally in the base-model SX – would see the estimated RRP dip closer to $104,000.
It would make it even more expensive than the first electric ute sold in Australia, the soon-to-be-replaced LDV eT60, which offered a 330km claimed range for $92,990 before on-road costs, before substantial discounts.
The cheapest dual-cab electric D-Max in the UK is priced from £60,995 for the eDL40 variant, compared to £39,400 for its diesel equivalent – a 55 per cent increase.
It carries a level of standard specification that would split the LS-M and LS-U variant in Australia, at about $60,000 – equating to a circa-$93,000 plus on-road costs RRP for an electric counterpart.
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An extended-cab model is offered in the UK for £59,995 – or $AU124,000 based on a direct currency conversion, which is not a fair comparison given cars in the UK are more expensive than in Australia.
Isuzu Ute Australia is yet to confirm prices for the electric D-Max EV, nor lock in arrival timing, however Drive understands it could be in local showrooms within 12 months.
Isuzu head office in Japan has confirmed the electric D-Max will launch in Australia alongside the UK and Thailand sometime after its Norway introduction this year.
UK showroom arrivals are due in early 2026 – a realistic timeframe for Australia.
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The Japanese commercial-vehicle specialist has elected to match the diesel D-Max on payload, towing capacity and four-wheel-drive ability – at the expense of range.
It is powered by dual electric motors – 43kW/108Nm up front, and 97kW/217Nm at the rear – for a combined 140kW, fed by a 66.9kWh battery good for a claimed driving range of 263km in European WLTP testing.
That is a significantly shorter range than the LDV eT60’s upcoming replacement, the eTerron 9, which will claim 430km in WLTP testing, and offers a 325kW power output with the same 3.5-tonne tow rating.
A 3500kg braked towing capacity matches the diesel version, as well as a one-tonne payload, even though the leaf-spring rear suspension has been swapped out for coil springs – in a De Dion axle arrangement – something that typically compromises a vehicle’s load-carrying abilities.
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DC fast charging at up to 50kW is claimed to allow a 20 to 80 per cent recharge in one hour, while 11kW AC home charging enables an empty to full recharge in a quoted 10 hours.
The electric ute weighs a claimed 2350kg – about 200kg heavier than a diesel D-Max X-Terrain in Australia – and accelerates from zero to 100km/h in a claimed 10.1 seconds, towards a 128km/h top speed.
Isuzu UK quotes 210mm of ground clearance, a 600mm water wading depth, and styling all but identical to the diesel version, allowing for 30.5-degree approach and 24.2-degree departure angles.
Features added with the UK’s eV-Cross flagship model include a larger 9.0-inch touchscreen, dark grey exterior styling, and an eight-speaker premium sound system.
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