It turned out to be a couple of firsts for the Westar group yesterday as alongside launching Malaysia’s first electric MPV, the Maxus Mifa 9, the conglomerate also previewed the first electric pick-up truck in the country, the Maxus T90 EV.

According to sources, the T90 EV is set to be launched by the end of 2023. In fact, several units have already been purchased by an undisclosed fleet customer and is currently in operation. That means that the T90 EV has already completed JPJ testing and certification in Malaysia.

Also Read: Malaysia's first all-electric MPV, the Maxus Mifa 9 launched from RM 269,888

Seeing that it’s already been sold to a fleet customer, pricing would appear to be more or less confirmed although Weststar Maxus isn’t disclosing it yet. Nonetheless, seeing that EVs are exempted from tax, based on its selling price in New Zealand of NZ$ 79,990 drive-away, we can safely estimate somewhere in the region of RM 220,000-260,000.

Like other electric pick-up trucks, there’s only a sole global specification for the T90, which is almost identical to those sold in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

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From the model’s nomenclature, it’s obvious that in the hierarchy of Maxus pick-up trucks, it’s positioned above the T60 currently sold here. Sizing-wise, the T90 measures in at 5,365 mm long, 1,900 mm wide and 1,809 mm tall with a wheelbase of 3,155 mm. That places it squarely within the dimensions of most twin-cab pick-ups sold here and is a pinch smaller than the current Ford Ranger. Out back, the cargo bed is 1,485 mm long, 1,510 mm wide and 530 mm tall.

Powering the T90 EV is a rear-mounted electric motor delivering 177 PS and 310 Nm of torque. It’s fed by a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery with a capacity of 88.55 kWh. That’s good for a combined WLTP-rated range of around 330 km.

Also Read: Review: Is it Malaysia's best truck ever? No, but the 2022 Maxus T60 stretches your RM 115k further than rivals do

DC fast charging will see it go from 20-80 percent in 45 minutes with a 80 kW charger while AC charging with the usual 11 kW will consume 9 hours to go from 5-100 percent.

The T90 EV is based on the combustion engine T90, hence the design is largely unchanged and looks sleeker than the T60. There’s a large chrome front grille, twin-tier headlights (halogen headlights and LED DRLs) and some rather large black body cladding over the tailgate.  The wheels are 17-inch pieces.

Other notable features include front and rear ventilated disc brakes, double wishbones at the front and the usual leaf springs for the rear. It’s naturally a rather hefty pick-up, weighing in at 3,300 kg.

In the cabin, it’s a minimalist dashboard with a floating 10.25-inch screen for infotainment and twin circular digital displays to mimic the design of a traditional analogue instrument cluster. The gear selector is of a rotary type.

Completing the interior is manual air-conditioning, a regular handbrake, twin-drive modes (power and eco) and a useful 220 V three-pin power socket. Safety comprises six airbags, rear parking sensors, ESP, brake assist and hill start assist.