This story includes a speculative rendering of an Isuzu D-Max EV that is neither related to nor endorsed by Isuzu.
Isuzu will join the fully electric truck trend with a new model that is reportedly coming in 2025. The battery electric pickup will be Isuzu’s first production EV in terms of passenger vehicles and will be produced in Thailand although its rollout will start from European markets.
The official confirmation for the EV came from Shinsuke Minami, Isuzu President and COO, During the launch of the facelifted D-Max in Bangkok, Thailand. More specifically, Minami said: “Isuzu is actively making efforts to realize a carbon-neutral society. Going forward, Isuzu plans to produce a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) pickup truck in Thailand. Isuzu will first introduce it in Europe and then examine its gradual rollout by meeting the needs of each market, including Thailand.”
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While the press release doesn’t mention anything about the upcoming model, reports from Japanese media suggest that it will be a fully electric version of the Isuzu D-Max. This is logical since the pickup accounts for 40% of Isuzu sales on a global scale.
Note that Isuzu presented a fully electric version of the NRR series of LCVs earlier this year, announcing its market launch for 2024 with different assemblies of 20 kWh battery packs. A similar solution could be adopted for the pickup, making it possible to use a specially adapted version of the current ladder-frame architecture with a few modifications.
According to Nikkei Asia, the debut of the electric pickup is expected as early as 2025. Europe will most likely be followed by Southeast Asian markets and possibly China where electric trucks are gaining in popularity.
The facelifted 2024 Isuzu D-Max is exclusively offered with two turbodiesel four-cylinder powertrains, unlike some of its rivals in the midsize pickup segment which has already been electrified. Ford recently revealed a plug-in hybrid version of the Ranger, while Toyota announced a mild-hybrid diesel engine for the Hilux. Both the Ranger and the Hilux are expected to spawn fully electric versions in the future, which means that the battery-electric Isuzu will have plenty of competition.
