The age of the E-Max: Electric Isuzu D-Max ute coming in 2025

The first electric Isuzu ute will launch in 2025, the company has confirmed to Drive.

Isuzu has announced it will launch the electric pick-up in Norway by 2025 – with Norway being a world-leader in electric-car sales each year. Isuzu also claims approximately half of all pick-up sales in the Nordic country.

After launching in Norway, the electric D-Max will go on sale in Thailand – with Australia possibly next in line to receive the battery-powered ute.

While Isuzu Australia wouldn’t comment on whether the electric ute was confirmed for the local market, a spokesperson for the company told Drive it “will continue to monitor the local needs and evaluate the reception of [battery-electric light commercial vehicles] and SUVs introduced by other manufacturers locally, and work with the factory to provide a product mix to meet Australian consumer needs”.

Isuzu has revealed few details about the electric ute, but the E-Max name could be one option to help differentiate the model from its diesel-powered sibling.

MORE: Next Isuzu D-Max ute could adopt electric truck power

Australia’s Top Two selling vehicles – the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger utes – are both manufactured in Thailand, along with the D-Max, where Isuzu accounts for 40 per cent of the country’s new-vehicle sales.

As first reported by Drive in May 2023, Isuzu’s battery-powered ute could borrow its electric motor from Isuzu’s truck division – which showed off its electric N-Series light truck earlier this year.

Currently, the D-Max ute, the MU-X SUV, and the N-Series truck share a closely-related 3.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine.

The electric Isuzu N-Series truck – which has variants that can be driven on a traditional car licence – uses an electric motor producing up to 150kW and 370Nm, replacing the space where the diesel engine would typically sit, and powering the rear wheels through a normal driveshaft and differential assembly.

An Isuzu ute could adopt a similar set-up, with the batteries replacing the fuel tank, and an electric motor replacing the diesel engine.

MORE: Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 buy more time with reissued five-star safety ratings

While it’s possible the model will be offered with rear-wheel drive initially, it could potentially allow the D-Max’s low-range four-wheel-drive transmission to be retained as more variants are added in the future.

Isuzu Australia has also confirmed to Drive the company is currently working on “alternative powertrain options such as [hybrid-electric], [plug-in hybrid] and [hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles]”.

Though no specific timeline has been given, the electric Isuzu D-Max – whatever it’s named – may be revealed to the world in the second half of 2024, ahead of its launch in Norway in 2025.

Tell us what you think – would you buy an electric Isuzu D-Max? Let us know in the comments section below.

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