One of the common complaints you may have heard about the uptake of EVs is that nothing has been available to meet the needs of tradies. After all, a little EV hatchback may be all very well for your daily commute or for picking up the shopping, but this won’t be any good if you’re a tradie who has to take the office with them and go from client to client. Well, that’s not the case any longer, thanks to the 2023 LDV eDeliver 9.

The LDV eDeliver 9 is the EV member of the already popular Deliver 9 range from LDV, which is a member of the massive Chinese automotive manufacturer SAIC. Available as a long wheelbase van with either a high roof or a medium roof, or as a cab chassis, the LDV eDeliver 9 has plenty to offer anyone who wants a van for commercial purposes.

The first thing that any tradie wants to know when choosing a van or other commercial vehicle is whether it can do the job right. Does the LDV eDeliver 9 have the range and the capacity that your typical tradie needs? Well, in terms of range, this will depend on the style of LDV eDeliver 9 you prefer. Inside the vans, you’ll find a lithium iron phosphate battery with a maximum output of 88.55 kW; in the cab chassis variant of the LDV eDeliver 9, you get one with 65 kW. According to the standard test, the battery of the mid-roof eDeliver 9 van, the maximum range is 280 km, but with the high-roof variant (with that extra bit of wind resistance and drag for the high roof), the maximum range is 275 km. With the different battery, the LDV eDeliver 9 cab chassis gets 150 km with a large box fitted to the bare chassis. Of course, all the usual caveats apply about battery range, as this will depend on how you drive, what you carry and what else you ask the engine/motor to do.

Charging up the battery in the LDV eDeliver 9 is a breeze, no matter which body style (and battery) you opt for. You have a host of options, including (A) a Type 2 onboard AC charger with a 5–100% charging time of 12 hours (11 for the cab chassis variant) for single-phase charging and 8 hours (6.5 for the cab chassis) for three-phase charging, (B) an onboard DC charger with a standard 20–80% charging time of 45 minutes for the vans and 36 mins for the LDV eDeliver 9 cab chassis, and (C) a domestic emergency charger that uses a standard three-pin plug.

Once it’s charged up to full and ready to rock, the LDV eDeliver 9’s electric engine has plenty on offer. Connected to the front wheel drive system, the engine delivers 150 kW max of power and 310 Nm of torque for a maximum speed of 90 km/h. OK, so the LDV eDeliver 9 isn’t a speed freak, but it’s not intended to be. It’s designed for your plumbers and electricians (and other people wanting a sizeable commercial van with no direct emissions) to get across town to the customers.

The next thing that any tradie wants to know about a potential van is whether it’s got the right amount of space. Inside both of the vans, thanks to the long wheelbase, the cargo hold has a length of 3.413 m (out of the total length of 5.940 m) and a width of 1.8 m (out of 2.062 m). Inside the high-roof LDV eDeliver 9 van, the cargo hold is 2.019 m high; in the mid-roof equivalent, you get 1.802 m. That’s enough for quite a few commercial uses. Of course, the cab chassis variant of the LDV eDeliver 9 has that bare chassis that you can do anything you fancy with, as long as it sits within the maximum length of 6.680 (that’s the total length of the vehicle). The maximum payload is 1410 kg, 1350 kg and 1960 kg for the mid-roof van, the high-roof van and the cab chassis, respectively.

OK, so that’s the main things that tradies considering the LDV eDeliver 9 want to know. But what else does this innovative Chinese van have for you? Let’s start with the exterior. The styling is chunky and contemporary, and the body (whichever one you prefer) sits proudly on practical 16-inch alloy wheels (with a full-sized spare on tap for when you need it). As the LDV eDeliver 9 has been designed with the tradie in mind, the sides of the van are enclosed rather than being fitted with window glass. This means that there’s plenty of room to add your business logo and contact details, turning your van into a mobile business card. The van comes in two colours: a good basic white and a smart dark blue. The passenger side door slides open, whereas the rear doors open barn-door style to 236 degrees. There’s handy non-slip steps to the side and rear of the cargo bay, making it safe and easy to get in and out with a load, and the cargo hold’s lit with LED lighting (which have a low power demand – important in an EV), helping you find all the handy tie-down points. Obviously, these doors and other features of the cargo bay aren’t on the cab chassis, but it does have the front and rear fog lights, and the turn signals integrated into the wing mirrors.

In terms of driver aids, the LDV eDeliver 9 has a good collection. In all models, you get front parking sensors, and in the van variants, you get rear parking sensors as well. You’ll find all the active safety features that you’d expect a hard-working modern vehicle to have, including ABS brakes with EBD and brake assistance and even autonomous emergency braking. On top of that, it’s got ESC, hill hold assist, a lane departure warning system, and adaptive cruise control.

I heard some of you asking what sort of transmission the LDV eDeliver 9 has and how many gears it has. However, this is a question that doesn’t really apply to an EV like this, as the engine always goes at the right speed and electric motors don’t stall, so there’s no need for multispeed gears.

Last but not least, I’m sure all tradies would like to know what creature comforts you’ll find in the single cab interior. Of course, the LDV eDeliver 9 has front and side airbags for the driver and passenger as well as curtain airbags, but you probably won’t see much of these. However, you will probably enjoy the convenience of the 10.1-inch touchscreen entertainment system (which plays nicely with the Apple CarPlay function and Bluetooth integration). Air conditioning and a multifunction steering wheel are all there, and you’ll find plenty of cabin storage – as if the generous cargo space wasn’t enough – in the form of deep door pockets, under seat storage and overhead storage as well. Two USB charging points are available, but I, for one, recommend charging your phone or laptop at home rather than from your EV to make the most of the car’s battery.

The 2023 LDV eDeliver 9 models include the:

• LDV eDeliver 9 mid-roof van
• LDV eDeliver 9 high roof van
• LDV eDeliver 9 cab chassis

For any more information on the new LDV eDeliver 9 or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181.  If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of LDV dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!