Does electric power in a large delivery van work? The first to really give this question a shake is the 2023 LDV eDeliver 9, a large van with a fully electric powertrain. It might be a pioneer, but does it make sense?
2023 LDV eDeliver 9
While it may not look vastly revolutionary, the LDV eDeliver 9 the first of its kind in Australia. Not dissimilar to the Mitsubishi i-MiEV which pioneered electric vehicles in the passenger car sector, this electric-only version of the Deliver 9 van, or the eDeliver 9 as it’s now know, is breaking new ground for the commercial vehicle segment.
While there are always going to be accolades for the first cab off the rank, stepping into effectively unknown territory is risky business. This is the 2023 LDV eDeliver 9, a fully electric large van in a segment dominated by diesel delivery.
How much does the LDV eDeliver 9 cost in Australia?
There’s no getting around the fact that this big electric van carries an enormous price tag. Nearly $120,000 before you include on-road costs makes it similar to a Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series (in high VX spec), a Mercedes-Benz GLE 300d, a Porsche Cayman or BMW M2.
However, none of those have 12 cubic metres of storage space and a 1300kg payload, and none of them have a fully electric powertrain. And with the current state of play at the moment, jamming over 80 kilowatt-hours of lithium, cobalt and nickel (among many other things) is bloody expensive. With the current levels of technology, that’s just the cost of doing business.
The eDeliver 9 only comes in a long wheelbase, missing out on the medium wheelbase that the non-electric Deliver 9 gets. However, you can opt for a high roof (like we have here) or a normal roof that’s around 200mm lower (and a little bit cheaper).
In comparison to a regular Deliver 9 – which is one of the better-value large vans in Australia – this electric version costs more than double the price. Once again, see above notes regarding rare earth materials.
| Key details | 2023 LDV eDeliver 9 |
| Price | $118,836 plus on-road costs |
| Colour of test car | Blanc White |
| Options | None |
| Price as tested | $118,836 plus on-road costs |
| Rivals | Peugeot Boxer | Mercedes-Benz Sprinter | LDV Deliver 9 |
How much space does the LDV eDeliver 9 have inside?
One of the strong elements of the eDeliver 9, and the Deliver 9 for that matter, is the interior. Commercial vehicles often have an interior space that is littered with storage nooks and extra compartments, and that’s no different here.
The overhead parcel shelf is capacious, there’s a handy storage shelf in front of the passenger, and there are generous-sized cupholders on each end of the modern-looking dashboard. Serious operators will appreciate the slot ready for an extra UHF or CB radio up high, and the high roof allows for a second storey of storage even higher – accessible when standing in the back area.
There’s a pop-out ashtray for some extra storage (or smoking, if you’re into that sort of thing), and the cigarette lighter can also be used as a 12V power outlet.
The floor in the front and rear is finished in a soft and foamy-feeling plastic, which seems durable and easy to wash. It’s a little more forgiving than straight hard plastics and feels fit for purpose.
In the back, you’ve got a total of eight tie-down points allowing you to secure two pallets separately.
And being a long-wheelbase model with a high roof, there is a huge amount of space on offer. One can happily stand up (or sprawl out) in here, making it an option for #vanlife (electric limitations not withstanding).
Keep reading to find out how the eDeliver 9 handles a payload in the rear.
| 2023 LDV eDeliver 9 | |
| Seats | Three |
| Cargo area | 3413mm long 1800mm wide 2019mm high 12.33m2 total |
| Length | 5940mm |
| Width | 2062mm |
| Height | 2765mm |
| Wheelbase | 3760mm |
Does the LDV eDeliver 9 have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
The 10.1-inch infotainment display in the LDV eDeliver 9 is similar (but not the same) to what you get in an LDV T60, with a similar range of features. Apple CarPlay is included, but Android Auto has not made the cut. The operating system is basic not very user-friendly, but it gets the job done well enough.
We did note that the AM radio reception was patchier and more interference-laden than other vehicles, which could be a pain for those spending most of their working hours behind the wheel. The sound system is basic as well, so don’t expect a stirring rendition of anything from Chopin’s catalogue in this big van.
The volume controls are only found on the steering wheel as well, giving the driver a high level of control if the passenger doesn’t agree with musical choices.
The eDeliver 9 adds in an extra page regarding electrification, which is handy to see what’s happening with your driving range. You get a big readout of kilometres left in the tank, while also being able to watch voltage and amps under power and regeneration.
The cabin also features two USB-A ports to keep devices topped up (and for smartphone connectivity) but LDV’s infotainment platform doesn’t include the inbuilt option for remote access or vehicle status checks via a smartphone app.
Is the LDV eDeliver 9 a safe van?
The LDV eDeliver 9 (and the Deliver 9) doesn’t come with any form of ANCAP crash-test rating or data. Looking back through the results supplied by ANCAP, the LDV isn’t the odd one out here. No other vans of this size are crash-tested either.
Which is a shame, because these vans often spend large portions of their life right in the midst of busy urban streets.
| 2023 LDV eDeliver 9 | |
| ANCAP rating | Untested |
What safety technology does the LDV eDeliver 9 have?
There’s no rating, but the eDeliver 9 does come with a decent array of standard safety equipment. This includes six airbags, autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, and tyre pressure monitoring.
Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert would be nice additions perhaps for future updates.
How much does the LDV eDeliver 9 cost to maintain?
With no internal combustion engine to worry about, there’s no oil, filter, timing belt or associated mechanicals to worry about. Service intervals are doubled to every two years or 30,000km. And from what we can see, it’s only pollen filters and brake fluid, as well as replacing coolant and fluid in the reducer every once in a while.
That’s a significant saving over the internal combustion model, but it would take many years of operation before clawing back any kind of parity in overall cost of ownership.
Insuring an eDeliver 9 is relatively expensive because of the purchase price. A quote we gathered online for private usage came back at $3237.07 per year. This is based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.
| At a glance | 2023 LDV eDeliver 9 |
| Warranty | Five years, 160,000km Eight years, 160,000km (battery) |
| Service intervals | 24 months or 30,000km |
| Servicing costs (approx) | $440 (4 years) $1085 (10 years) |
Is the LDV eDeliver 9 energy-efficient?
This is a tricky one to weigh up. On the one hand, over 30kWh per 100km seems like an awful lot of energy consumption. Over 80kWh of battery often yields a driving range of well over 500km in a passenger car, but that’s not the case here.
For reference, a good electric passenger car will use around half of what this eDeliver 9 uses.
The weight of the van – and the outright lack of any aerodynamic slipperiness – means you get through those electrons at a fast pace when driving around. Pushing vast quantities of air out of the way seems be the biggest culprit in this regard.
LDV’s claim of 34.5kWh/100km, garnered on the more strict and realistic WLTP testing cycle, seems to be accurate. We actually managed to do better than the claim with an overall average of 31kWh/100km after a fairly mixed run of highway and town driving.
The loaded driving we did using one tonne of bricklayer’s sand – courtesy of Nepean Landscape Supplies – didn’t seem to affect energy consumption massively. It was certainly using more, and our average crept up to around 33kWh/100km during our loaded driving loop. However, it’s not as catastrophic as what we’ve seen with electric trucks.
I would budget on around 250km of driving range when unladen, but 200km of loaded driving would likely be safe. However, I was driving this car with half a mind on economy. A heavier foot and heavier usage of friction brakes (instead of regenerative braking) would likely see the levels of efficiency drop off markedly.
There’s a question mark for me here in terms of whether this is enough driving range for a big delivery van like this. I can’t profess to know intimate details of this part of the industry, but 200–250km of driving between recharge sessions does feel underdone. Being able to stop in the middle of the day for a 75kW top-up could fix this, but that needs to be accounted for in a fast-moving commercial environment.
While LDV claims that the eDeliver 9 can charge at 80kW, we saw a peak of 75kW during our testing of the fast DC charging. This is still fairly quick, and allows one to go from 20 per cent to 80 per cent in around 45 minutes or so. 11kW of AC charging would need around 12 hours for something similar, and 7kW would be even longer.
Energy Consumption – brought to you by bp
| Energy Efficiency | Energy Stats |
| Energy cons. (claimed) | 34.5kWh/100km |
| Energy cons. (on test) | 31kWh/100km |
| Battery size | 88.55kW |
| Driving range claim (WLTP) | 275km |
| Charge time (11kW) | 12hr (approx) |
| Charge time (50kW) | 3.5hr (approx) |
| Charge time (80kW max rate) | 45min (approx 20–80%) |
What is the LDV eDeliver 9 like to drive?
Like the diesel-powered Deliver 9, this LDV eDeliver 9 is comfortable, easy to drive, and well sorted overall.
While the regular Deliver 9 does manage to undercut key rivals on pricing quite significantly, it does it without scrimping on the drive, powertrain, comfort and overall livability.
That value-for-money equation isn’t here, obviously. However, the eDeliver 9 sits in a field of one, and the big asking price simply represents the cost of doing business in this part of the world. Rivals are on the horizon however, with Mercedes-Benz and Ford preparing electric delivery vans of their own for the Australian market.
In isolation, the eDeliver 9 is a good performer. The suspension feels well sorted, and the electric powertrain offers more than enough grunt for cruising around the suburbs. And while this van is huge (with a correspondingly big blind spot), big side mirrors help to stay across who is where around you.
When loaded up with one tonne of ballast, we found the suspension performance to remain mostly good. The dampers are getting towards the end of their operational remit at this weight when going over speed bumps and large surface wallows. This would be down to the large amount of weight they are negotiating at 3.7 tonnes. On most surfaces, the suspension feels up to the job.
Powertrain performance didn’t feel too blunted, however, with that 150kW and 310Nm clearly enough to shove the van along quite happily. We note that this van’s electric motor does run through a reducer (torque multiplier), which would explain the eagerness of the powertrain. Steering and braking all feel good when loaded up as well. The worst I can say is that I heard a few extra creaks towards the rear of the vehicle when loaded.
The vehicle is speed-limited to a maximum of 90km/h on the highway, which is done to reduce the impact of high-speed driving on the battery capacity and driving range. This might be a problem for some, but not so bad for delivery routes focused mainly on urban and residential streets. However, non-electric vans of this size don’t suffer the same problem.
Regenerative braking works well, and having it in its most aggressive setting (of three) means that with the right driving style, you only need the brakes for the final few metres of pulling up. You can adjust it up and down by pulling the gear shifter sideways – whereas you can manually select ratios in a non-electric van – and shifting up and down.
| Key details | 2023 LDV eDeliver 9 |
| Engine | Single electric motor |
| Power | 150kW |
| Torque | 310Nm |
| Drive type | Front-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Single-speed |
| Power-to-weight ratio | 55.6kW/t |
| Weight (tare) | 2700kg |
| Spare tyre type | Full-size |
| Tow rating | 1500kg braked 750kg unbraked |
| Turning circle | 14.8m |
Should I buy an LDV eDeliver 9?
In a nutshell, no. A diesel-powered Deliver 9 is able to do a better job at less than half the price, and doesn’t come with the compromises apparent with an electric-powered large van. I have questions over the driving range available – and whether it is enough for the job – and the speed-limited nature of the vehicle on highway runs.
If you’re delivering around suburban streets, this isn’t an issue. But I see plenty of large vans on the highways and motorways within and around the urban centres I drive, and I’d hazard a guess that eDeliver 9 buyers will need to (at least) occasionally do this as well.
The flipside here is that some businesses or companies might want or need an electric large van because of a green vehicle policy or some other reason. In that case, you’ll need to go in with your eyes (and wallet) open.
It’s expensive and compromised, but if you are going to operate the van within its operational limitations, it’s good. The loaded performance is good, and the driving experience is comfortable and easy.
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