Isuzu scraps the D-Max EV for Australia but says electrified utes are still coming
Isuzu Ute Australia has confirmed the battery electric Isuzu D-Max will not be sold here, ending plans that had been in place since the electric ute was first confirmed for Australia. Isuzu Motors says it has decided not to export the electric D-Max to Australia at this time so it can prioritise products that suit current customer needs.
The brand has not given up on electrification, though. Isuzu Ute Australia executive general manager Rod Caldwell says a dedicated team is now working with Isuzu in Japan on future powertrains to keep the D-Max and MU-X competitive as emissions rules tighten.
Why the D-Max EV was cancelled
Caldwell says the electric D-Max kept the diesel model’s one-tonne payload and 3,500kg braked towing capacity, but its driving range would have been the deciding factor for Australian buyers. He also says Isuzu does not want to bring the car in just to help meet the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard if it would not deliver the result customers want.
Price was another hurdle. In the UK the electric D-Max is priced from £59,995 to £74,994, roughly double the cost of an equivalent diesel. Diesel also still accounts for 84 per cent of light commercial vehicle sales in Australia so far this year, according to Isuzu.
The D-Max EV that will not come here
| Spec | Electric D-Max |
|---|---|
| Motors | Two, front and rear |
| Combined power | 140kW |
| Torque | 325Nm |
| Battery | 66.9kWh |
| WLTP range | 263km |
| Payload | 1,000kg |
| Braked towing | 3,500kg |
| Charging | 11kW AC, 50kW DC with 20 to 80 per cent in about an hour |
| Australian status | Cancelled |
What Isuzu is working on instead
Isuzu’s Earth Lab facility in Japan was built to research technology that cuts CO2 emissions, and Caldwell says the local team is working with it on what suits Australia best. He would not say what powertrain is coming, so any electrified D-Max or MU-X should be treated as expected rather than confirmed. Possible paths include a plug-in hybrid, a conventional hybrid or a more mature electric system with more range and a lower price.
Caldwell says whatever arrives must be fit for purpose in a ute, with the off-road ability, payload and towing customers expect. He supports future electrification but believes a battery electric one-tonne ute is not the answer right now.
Diesel stays for now
In the meantime Isuzu will keep offering its 3.0-litre and newer, more efficient 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engines in the D-Max and MU-X, and says it will expand the MU-X range. Rivals are moving faster, with plug-in hybrid utes from BYD, Ford and GWM already on sale and the Chery Stockman diesel plug-in hybrid due in 2027. Our Shark 6 versus Ranger PHEV comparison shows how the current options stack up, and our NVES explainer covers how emissions targets could affect ute prices.
