Maxus eDeliver 7 review

Entering the super-competitive medium van market with a model only available with electric power – as Maxus is doing with this Maxus eDeliver 7 – is a brave move.

After all, none of the eDeliver 7's rivals fall particularly short in any area. Indeed one of them, the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric, was our first Van of the Year (when it was known as the Vivaro-e).

Options also include four more Stellantis vans that are closely related to the Vivaro Electric: the Citroën ë-Dispatch, Fiat e-Scudo, Peugeot e-Expert and Toyota Proace Electric. There's also the electric version of the Mercedes Vito plus the electric-only VW ID Buzz Cargo (although they cost more and can carry less than the eDeliver 7).

Potentially stiffer competition is coming from an influx of all-new models, including the Ford E-Transit Custom and an electric Renault Trafic plus a next-generation VW e-Transporter.

So is the Maxus eDeliver 7 strong enough in terms of performance, handling, electric range and load-carrying ability to beat the best electric vans? Read on to find out...

You’ll only find one motor and trim level choice for the Maxus eDeliver 7, but it's available in two lengths and there are two battery sizes to choose from.

The cheapest models come with a 77kWh battery pack, and according to official figures, that's good for 190-200 miles of range (depending on exact spec). For comparison the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric officially manages up to 217 miles with its 75kWh battery pack, although as with electric cars the real-world range is less.

You can also get the eDeliver 7 with an 88kWh battery pack, increasing the official range to 200-230 miles.

When we drove an 88kWh version with no load on board on dual carriageways, the trip computer reported an efficiency figure of 1.32 miles per kWh, which translates into a range of 116 miles — a little over half of the 225 miles our model promises. That's a big drop.

So what's the eDeliver 7 actually like to drive? Well, the 201bhp electric motor provides enough poke to accelerate the longer L2H1 88kWh van to 62mph in 11.0 seconds when empty. Only slight changes in weight affect the acceleration times of other models, which range from 10.8 to 11.3 seconds.

It rockets away from a standstill surprisingly quickly but shows less eagerness as the speed increases. It’s far quicker than the 14.6 seconds of the Vivaro Electric – and feels it – but it’s a long way behind the Renault Trafic E-Tech's 8.4-second official time.

We haven’t tried the eDeliver 7 with a load in the back yet, but performance will clearly be dulled once it’s carrying some cargo.

The model's light steering and good visibility make it safe and secure to navigate the roads, and we found coping with roundabouts and junctions a piece of cake.

As for comfort, the eDeliver 7's ride is firm, especially over some seriously broken surfaces we faced. However, with no load in the back softening the suspension, it’s not possible to pass comment on how it will behave under everyday use.

There’s not a great deal of energy recuperation from the regenerative braking system. Drivers switching from a diesel van might appreciate the familiarity of using the brakes more, but it does come at the expense of range. The strength of the regeneration is adjustable, but there’s not much difference between the three settings.

Three driving modes allow you to focus on prioritising battery life or performance, or balancing the two, with Eco mode limiting the speed to 55mph. The Vivaro Electric has three similar driving modes that restrict power progressively to extend range.

One annoyance is that the car's technology interferes with driving too frequently – there are beeps and bongs for any perceived transgression. An alert for breaking the speed limit is to be expected, but the van frequently guessed incorrectly at what the limit was.

A driver monitor checks to see if you’re paying attention, but the screen demands so much attention that the warning goes off when trying to find out what other warning has just gone off. The basic technology is great, but it needs some refining.

Driving overview

Strengths Strong performance; battery upgrade is good value; handling is secure

Weaknesses Real-world efficiency looks poor; annoying safety tech; firm ride

Maxus has got quite close to the car-like feel van manufacturers chase, with the eDeliver 7 interior looking like it could be from a big family SUV. It’s a simple design, with a single blade running the width of the dashboard, only interrupted by the instrument binnacle.

The instrument panel is pretty traditional, with two analogue dials — one showing speed and the other how much power you’re using — either side of a digital panel that shows a few extra bits of information. It’s fine, if unexciting.

A substantial 12.3in infotainment screen dominates the centre of the cabin. It looks great, but much of the screen is frequently wasted on pictures of the van. It’s responsive, with crisp graphics, but difficult to use, with options tucked away in multiple layers of menus.

Fortunately, you get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity as standard, so you can connect your smartphone. Annoyingly, though, you’ll still need to exit that system to go into the menus to change surprisingly frequently used settings, including roller switches to control the interior temperature and touch-sensitive buttons for the air-con, window demister and air recirculation.

Finding a driving position in the eDeliver 7 isn’t difficult, although the steering wheel only adjusts for rake (not reach). Those with unusually short arms and long legs might struggle.

We also found the footwell lacked space compared with other medium-sized electric vans. Our road tester with size 11s could not comfortably rest their shoes to the left of the pedals, which would get tiring on a long journey. The Vauxhall Vivaro Electric is better there, but has an unfortunate offset driving position, leading to a driver needing to twist slightly.

Material quality feels hard-wearing rather than plush, but on a par with Stellantis-built models. Construction feels particularly solid, so hopefully the van will be able to contend with the rough and tumble of everyday life without too much difficulty.

Interior Overview

Strengths Pleasing design; feels well built; good connectivity

Weaknesses Fiddly infotainment system; cramped footwell; poor steering adjustment

The shorter L1 version of the Maxus eDeliver 7 is 4,998mm long, which is slightly longer than a short-wheelbase Vauxhall Vivaro Electric. The L2 is 366mm longer, at 5,364mm, which is a helpful 55mm more than the long-wheelbase Vivaro.

Those extra few centimetres add up, giving the eDeliver 7 the largest cargo area in the sector. At 6.05m³ or 6.7m³, depending on length, it’ll take around 10% more freight in the back than the Vivaro and related Stellantis vans. There's also a high roof L2, which has an even bigger cargo area, at 8.7m³.

If you need to carry weight rather than volume, the eDeliver 7 is a market leader, and as with its rivals, the smallest and lightest model can take the most weight. The L1 van with the smaller 77kWh battery can take up to 1,200kg of cargo.

As the van gets bigger and the battery pack gets heavier, the limit drops to 1,025kg, but that’s still a handy 23kg more than the largest Vivaro Electric.

The eDeliver 7's lead might disappear quickly though: the Renault Trafic E-Tech is expected to have a higher payload limit and, in most versions, exceed its load volume.

Access is through a single sliding door on the left side of the van, with double rear doors that swing open to 180 degrees. A second sliding door on the other side is available as an option, but the Vivaro Electric gets two fitted as standard, making access easier.

The floor on the eDeliver 7 is very high, which could help manually loading light objects but hinder the loading of bulkier or heavier items.

The car-like cabin lay-out extends to a car-like amount of storage, which isn’t positive. There’s a regular glovebox and a couple of door bins, but you won’t find any dash-top storage, clever cubby holes or overhead shelves. There is an area under the passenger bench, but that will be best used to store the six-metre charging cable.

There’s plenty of room for a one passengers on the bench seat, but the third seat in the centre is least appealing. That said, the lack of a traditional gear lever or handbrake frees up space, so a person in the middle has more foot space than in a conventional van.

Practicality overview

Strengths Large load volume; large payload limit; wide side door

Weaknesses Little cabin storage; high cargo area floor; only one side door as standard

The entry point to the Maxus eDeliver 7 range is the L1H1 77kWh van, which costs a little more than the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric Prime before fees, taxes and grants.

Equipment levels between the two are broadly similar, although Maxus gives you a larger infotainment screen and, crucially for energy saving when it's chilly, a heated steering wheel and heated seats — an option, as part of a pack, on the Vivaro.

The longer L2H1 model with the 88kWh battery is priced at a slight premium, but is still good value compared with the entry-level model. The largest model, the long-wheelbase and high roof L2H2 model (which isn't available with the smaller battery), only adds a little extra.

While there are three different body sizes and a choice of battery packs, there’s just one trim level to pick, so you don’t need to spend time comparing what comes as standard across each model.

Every eDeliver 7 is well equipped, with air conditioning, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, automatic wipers and lights, cruise control and a dual passenger bench seat with under-seat storage.

Picking optional extras won’t take long: you can have a single passenger seat rather than the twin bench, have a set of alloy wheels fitted, or specify an electric sliding side step to make access easier. The most important extra is a second sliding side door, because there’s just one on the left as standard.

Fully charging the 77kWh van from empty should take around 11 hours from a 7kW wall box, while the 88kWh model will take 12 and a half hours. The eDeliver 7 has a maximum charging rate of 90kW — Maxus quotes a time of 43 minutes to top it up from 20% to 80% when plugged into a quick enough charger.

Safety technology is comprehensive, with automatic emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot warning, lane-change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, traffic-sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors, and a reversing camera all fitted as standard.

The eDeliver 7 is backed by a five-year warranty, limited to 60,000 miles. That’s two years longer than the warranty offered on the Vivaro Electric but Vauxhall covers it for up to 100,000 miles. Maxus gives you five years of roadside assistance cover as standard, compared with Vauxhall’s three years.

Costs overview

Strengths High equipment levels; good breakdown cover; comprehensive safety suite

Weaknesses Some rivals have lower starting prices; limited mileage on warranty

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here