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Questions have been raised about Australia’s first electric ute amid claims the vehicle is unsuitable for farmers and farm work.
The eT60 from Chinese manufacturer LDV has been hailed as Australia’s first pure electric crew cab ute and the first of its kind.
Listing for $92,990 plus highway costs, the two-wheel-drive, crew-cab ute has a range of 200 miles on a single charge and a towing capacity of one ton.
While Federal Ministers Catherine King and Chris Bowen have been quick to jump on the eT60 bandwagon, public reaction so far has been divided due to the ute’s limited range of 330km after one charge and huge price tag.
Agriculture expert and Farming Ahead magazine research engineer Ben White welcomed the arrival of the eT60 in Australia, but believes its limitations may make it unsuitable for farms.
Australians are divided over the LDV eT60, Australia’s first all-electric ute. Pictured with the vehicle is Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Catherine King.
“We want to be able to drive through the paddocks, we want to be able to check the stock, we want to be able to haul loads to and from the city, so it gets back to that equivalency and be able to do that work that we need to do,” he told the abc.
“We put in big miles in Australia, probably more than anyone would in Europe or the US, and range anxiety is a real thing.
“There’s a bit of anxiety and planning that builds into that, and that’s fine, but once the range grows to 700 or 800km, that will dissipate.”
Australian Automotive Dealers Association chief executive James Voortman agreed that the ute’s limited range and huge price tag make it less attractive to farmers.
“There’s the distance issue and also the issue that many have quite rough terrain that they have to negotiate on their properties, so not being a 4WD could work against you,” he said. news.com.au.
‘Many farmers have very capable 4x4s [already] therefore, it is something that farmers should consider when making the decision to switch to an electric vehicle.
Experts say the ute’s current limitations and enormous price tag make it unsuitable for farm and farm work.
Similar concerns were raised when LDV Australia recently posted the eT60 on its Facebook page.
‘Useless for weeks of work in the bush,’ commented one man.
Another added: ‘330 km range, pathetic. Imagine running a maintenance company with workers who spend most of the day recharging the car.
LDV states on its website that the eT60 is aimed at large corporations, government and fleet companies, and private early adopters committed to emissions reduction goals.
“LDV Automotive is proud to have brought Australia’s first electric vehicle to market,” a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
“This first LDV eT60 is designed for those with specific customer applications who have made a commitment to reduce their emissions.
“The electrification of the Australian automotive market is a journey, with learnings from each model resulting in changes and improvements for future models.
The vehicle is currently being displayed across Australia by Solar Citizens, a community organization committed to renewable energy and transport.
The organization leads calls for the federal government to revise vehicle emissions standards laws to create more choice in the EV market and unlock a supply of affordable EVs, particularly in regional areas.
The two-wheel-drive, double-cab ute has a range of 200 miles on a single charge and is priced at nearly $93,000.
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Catherine King is excited about the future of electric vehicles after seeing the eT60 at a recent road event in regional Victoria.
“Only 10 months ago, the now deputy leader of the opposition told us that there were no electric vehicles anywhere in the world,” he said.
Thanks to Solar Citzens for bringing their ute to Ballarat and showing the regions that EVs are out there for us too.
The Albanian government wants 89 per cent of new car sales in Australia to be electric vehicles by 2030.
Solar Citizens is currently displaying the LDV eT60 across Australia. Pictured is Minister Catherine King at a recent roadshow in Ballarat, Victoria.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen was recently criticized for ‘bragging about’ the Chinese-made electric ute.
He was pictured inside an electric LDV eT60 alongside Transgrid CEO Brett Redman after the company announced it would test the $90,000 vehicle in its fleet.
“It’s all about, ‘oh, we’re bringing back Australian manufacturing,’ and in the next breath, they’re like, ‘Here’s a $90,000 ute made in China,'” said Ben Fordham, 2GB breakfast host.
“I can’t see that many people lining up and saying, ‘I’m going to spend $90,000 on an electric vehicle made in China when I buy a Ford Ranger or a Toyota Hilux for $50,000.'”
Drive.com managing editor Trent Nikolic said that while the UT has a range of about 200 miles, in reality, for many dealers, it would only be about 90 miles, given the amount of gear they load in their vehicles.
“I think it’s less about the price right now, which is ridiculous, and more about the ability
LDV quotes the range of that vehicle at 330 km. If that battery were in a car, it would be about 500, because the ute weighs about three tons.
‘So if you get close to the towing rating or the carrying capacity of the vehicle, you cut it in half [the vehicle’s range].
‘They don’t work for people in rural areas outside of the urban fringe, people who tow a lot of weight, or people who live on farms.
‘The commercial sector, utes, trucks, buses and the like, are the worst case scenario to make a case for electric vehicles.
“Vehicles that are constantly on the road and are rarely parked and left idle are not good for EVs at all.
Fordham said the rollout of electric vehicles would be better suited to those who live and work in the city, as Australians in rural areas require a vehicle that can travel long distances without needing to be recharged.
“There is no way in the world that Anthony Albanese and Chris Bowen can meet their goal of 89 percent of new car sales being electric by 2030.”
Nikolic agreed, forecasting that Australia will be 30 percent electric vehicle-consuming by 2030 because they are not suitable for many car buyers.
“First you need to have the money to buy one, you need to have the ability to charge it at home, and ideally you shouldn’t be relying on public charging infrastructure right now, because there’s not enough of it yet.
Nikolic also questioned why electric vehicle battery packs are not made in Australia.
“Whenever I say to EV evangelists, ‘What about the stuff we’re digging out of the ground to make battery packs?’ their first rethink is, ‘Oh yeah, lithium is common, it’s everywhere’. The second is ‘we have a lot in Australia’.
‘My answer to that is: ‘Why aren’t we building battery packs here?’ The battery is the most expensive component of an electric vehicle. There’s no reason we can’t build that here.