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The Isuzu D-MAX EV is the UK’s first fully electric pick-up offering over a tonne of payload, a 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity and permanent four-wheel drive, and is aimed at commercial fleets needing zero emission off-road capability.
There’s now a wide range of battery electric cars and vans, but we’ve not had a fully electric pick-up with over a tonne of payload, a 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity and permanent four-wheel drive – until now. Meet the Isuzu D-MAX EV, which ticks all of these boxes for commercial fleets operating in sectors such as agriculture, construction and landowners who need to lower their fleet emissions.
The two headline statistics of the Isuzu D-MAX EV are a payload of 1,060kg and a towing capacity of 3,500kg, so meeting the needs of many commercial fleets. The D-MAX EV is 5,280mm long with a load bed length of 1,520mm (1,785mm for the eDL40 Extended model), a width of 1,530mm and a depth of 500mm.
The D-MAX EV has a 66.9 kWh lithium-ion battery and full-time 4WD thanks to dual electric motors producing 45.9 kW (front), 103.4 kW (rear), with a total output of 149.3 kW (203 PS) and 347.6 Nm of torque (115 Nm front, 232.6 Nm rear).
The D-Max EV uses the latest-generation D-Max ladder chassis strengthened for heavy payloads, with a new De-Dion semi-independent rear suspension that Isuzu says reduces cabin noise and vibration by up to 10% under full acceleration.
We think it looks good, with appropriate styling for a pick-up. The cabin features leather upholstery, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control and entertainment can be streamed via a fully wireless 8” or 9” colour touchscreen.
The rear seats bases and back rests can fold flat to give more space, and our test car had an optional canopy over the pick-up bed, giving a huge cargo space.
Anyone who has driven a diesel pick-up will be shocked at how refined, and comfortable, the Isuzu D-MAX EV is to drive. This is the case around town, on the motorway, and off-road. The D-MAX EV isn’t intended for lots of motorway miles, but if you do have to undertake a long journey, it’s just like driving any other EV. Ride quality is generally excellent, and its handling can even cope with twisting A and B roads.
Performance is an area that could be stronger, with just 203 PS of power and a leisurely 0-62 mph acceleration time of 10.1 seconds. But just as the D-MAX EV isn’t intended for motorways, it’s also not intended to be a hot hatch; it’s meant to be a green off-road workhorse. So with that brief in mind, we tested it over many miles of off-road driving, up and down steep, rocky hills. Did anything that we encountered present a challenge to the D-MAX EV? No. The Rough Terrain Mode, permanent four-wheel drive system and Dunlop Grandtrek off-road tyres delivered 100% grip all of the time, and the 210mm of ground clearance, 600mm wading depth, 30.5° approach angle and 24.2° departure angle meant that even the most challenging off-road sections resulted in no dramas.
So the Isuzu D-MAX EV is refined to drive on the road, it’s massively capable off-road, and it also has a very user-friendly cabin. When we say this, we don’t mean that it just has a big touchscreen and nothing else like virtually every Chinese EV – just the opposite. There are physical buttons – hooray! For people using the D-MAX EV for driving around fields or forests in all weather conditions, having all controls on a touchscreen would be a nightmare. So the D-MAX EV has features such as a big old-fashioned automatic gear selector and handbrake, both of which work brilliantly. There are steering wheel-mounted paddles to change the level of brake regeneration. There are physical switches for controls such as Eco and Rough Terrain modes as well as for all climate functions. The touchscreen may not have the latest, stylish graphics, but it has shortcut buttons including for Home and Vehicle, it connects to a phone and displays Apple CarPlay easily, and it has a screen featuring buttons for the main driver assistance functions such as lane departure warning, which you can switch off really quickly.
The Isuzu D-MAX EV has a WLTP combined range of 163 miles (or 224 miles in the city cycle). The real-world range averaged 159 miles over the course of a week, which is very close to the official figure, and the dashboard range estimate at motorway speeds was reasonably accurate.
Consumption (WLTP) is 2.4 miles/kWh, which isn’t particularly efficient, but this is a 4×4 pick-up, not a family hatchback.
One area where the D-MAX EV isn’t competitive is its slow 50kW DC charging speed, resulting in a 20% to 80% charge taking an hour. It can also charge at 11kW AC, which can deliver a full charge in six hours at a three-phase outlet.
The Isuzu D-MAX EV is available in two trim levels: eDL40 (Extended Cab or Double Cab) and eV-Cross (Double Cab only). Standard equipment includes leather/cloth interiors, dual-zone climate, heated seats, Bi-LED headlights, a 7-inch driver display and front and rear parking sensors.
The Isuzu D-Max eDL40 Extended is priced at £59,995, the D-Max eDL40 Double is £60,995, and the D-Max eV-Cross Double, as tested, costs £62,495, all prices excluding VAT.
Our test car had a number of options as follows: Aeroklas Leisure E-Tronic Canopy (£2,345), BedRug (£288), Lazer Linear 6 ELITE (£579), Lazer Lamp Linear 36E (£970), Roof Bar Kit (£482), Over Fender Set (£812), RUP Extension Set (£319), Door Visors (£136), Tailgate Assist (£211), Bonnet Lift (£115), Wireless Charger (£133), Tow Bar (£423), 13 Pin Towing Electrics (£235) and Mercury Silver Metallic paint (£600). The total price of accessories fitted (excluding VAT) was £7,070, taking the total price of the vehicle as tested to £69,565.
The Isuzu D-MAX EV is eligible for a number of grants/financial incentives. Business and private buyers can benefit from the Zero Emission Van and Truck government grant of up to £5,000 off the list price; this reduces the D-Max eV-Cross Double price to £57,495.
Recent legislative changes classify most double-cab pick-ups as cars rather than vans. Because the D-MAX EV is zero emission, drivers benefit from the lowest possible 4% BIK band for 2026/27 compared to the high tax bands applied to diesel double-cabs. The D-MAX EV attracts the flat commercial vehicle road tax rate of £360 per year.
Because the D-MAX EV has a payload over 1 tonne, if it’s used by a VAT-registered business, they can reclaim the full VAT on the purchase price. And because it’s an electric vehicle, eligible businesses may qualify for 100% first-year capital allowances, allowing them to offset the cost of the vehicle directly against taxable profits.
Because it emits zero tailpipe emissions, the D-MAX EV is exempt from charges in Clean Air Zones and the London ULEZ.
The Isuzu D-MAX EV is available in the following colours: Splash White, Mercury Silver Metallic, Onyx Black Mica, Biarritz Blue Metallic, Mountain Grey Metallic and Dolomite White Pearl.
The D-Max EV comes with a 5-year/125,000-mile vehicle warranty and an 8-year/125,000-mile battery warranty.
Read the Isuzu D-MAX EV v Toyota Hilux BEV comparison test
The Isuzu D-MAX EV is the UK’s first fully electric pick-up offering over a tonne of payload, a 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity and permanent four-wheel drive. Our test showed that it’s extremely capable off-road. And it’s massively more refined than a diesel pick-up (as well as having zero tailpipe emissions). The maximum DC charging rate of 50 kW is very slow and the official electric driving range of only 163 miles may not be enough for everyone, but the vehicle isn’t intended for long distance travel. The price of £62,495, excluding VAT, is high, but this reduces to £57,495 thanks to the Zero Emission Van and Truck government grant of up to £5,000, and there are a number of other financial incentives. The Isuzu D-MAX EV is awarded a Green Car Guide rating of 8 out of 10.
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Paul Clarke, GreenCarGuide Editor
