Isuzu has officially flipped the switch on mass production of its first fully electric 1-ton pickup, the D-MAX EV, at its Thai manufacturing hub. That means the same nation famed for spicy curries and bustling markets is now dishing out a seriously electrifying truck, tailor-made to haul Europe into a new era of carbon-neutral driving.
Just a year after its prototype flexed at the 45th Bangkok International Motor Show, the D-MAX EV has zipped straight from showroom floor to production line. The first shipments (left-hand drive, naturally) are set to roll into major European markets by the third quarter of 2025. For our UK friends (who stubbornly stick to the other side of the road), right-hand drive production will begin at the year’s end, promising British garages a truly silent workhorse starting 2026. And yes, other markets are in the pipeline, electrifyingly enough.
But what’s powering all this buzz? The D-MAX EV swaps the growl of diesel for the whirr of not one, but two newly developed e-Axles, bringing full-time 4WD to those who just can’t resist a muddy lane or an Alpine pass. Acceleration is as linear as your boss’s expectations—super smooth—and without the ruckus or rattles of its fossil-fueled forebears. Plus, with a frame tough enough to wrestle a bear (or, more realistically, your mate’s boat), the D-MAX EV doesn’t just talk the torque—it brings 325 Nm of it, backed by 140 kW of maximum output. That’s enough muscle for a payload of 1,010 kg and a mighty 3,500 kg towing capacity.
Worried about those long, winding roads? Fear not: the 66.9 kWh lithium-ion battery delivers 263 km of real-world (WLTP) range, stretching up to 361 km in city mode. When you need to juice up, you can go from 20% to 80% in just an hour with 50 kW DC fast charging—or practice patience at home with AC charging, topping up the battery overnight in ten hours at 11 kW.
Dimensionally, it’s classic D-MAX: 5,280 mm nose-to-tail, 1,870 mm wide, and 1,810 mm tall—with enough room for a crew (it is a Crew Cab, after all). But make no mistake, under those rugged lines lies high-voltage brainpower, primed for both commercial heavy-lifting and family adventure duty. Isuzu isn’t just betting on electric for novelty; they’re plugging in where it matters for real-world pickup customers, from builders to weekend wanderers.
In a world racing towards carbon neutrality, Isuzu’s entry signals that the age-old pickup is ready for reinvention. And, if the D-MAX EV is any indication, the future might be quieter, cleaner—and just as tough as ever.
