With Maxus' new electric transport vehicles, many are curious: What is the range? What happens to it in the winter? What is the impact of a fully loaded car? How much do you actually save?
We took the opportunity to call up a business owner who drove an electric car during a completely normal Norrbotten winter. Hear Jonas Kero from JKEL tell us – Who had his Maxus e-Deliver 3 the entire winter season up in Pajala.
Note: Jonas has not bought his Maxus from Niemi Bil.
Hello Jonas Kero, electric car owner from JKEL!
– What were your thoughts when you chose an electric car?
I work with electrical installations and have made many charging boxes. Of course I've become a little curious to test it myself.
When I needed a new car for work last year, I was torn between the choices. Should I buy a new diesel? A used one? Or dare to take the plunge with an electric car?
But when I started doing the math – what it would cost in total to own the cars, the electric car was superior to the calculation. It was even cheaper overall than buying a used car.
– What has everyday life at work been like?
I drive every day, anywhere from 4-5 km per day up to 16-18 km on other days. And it has worked well for me.
– You've had your Maxus for a whole winter – how has it worked? How is the range affected?
It's surprising, but I haven't actually noticed that much of a difference in range. During the summer, it's maybe 2-3 miles longer. But it's clear that it affects driving with the heat on in the winter – and that the road conditions are a bit more difficult.
Last winter when it was minus 35 degrees, I drove up to Särkimukka – 170 kilometers round trip. And when I got home again, I still had a few kilometers left in the tank.
"Last winter when it was minus 35 degrees I drove up to Särkimukka – 170 kilometers round trip"
– Does the scope match what the papers say?
Of course it depends on how you drive. But I've been pretty stable at 230-240 km range.
Editor's note: The official WLTP range for mixed driving from the Maxus e-Deliver 3 is 228 km.
They say it should be able to drive in an urban environment for over 300 km. But I haven't driven that way and haven't gotten that range either.
– You mention the heat, an important factor for us Norrbotten residents – How has it been?
It has worked well. I have used the interior heater mainly on cold mornings to avoid using the battery. But otherwise I think the car heats well.
I might have wished the insulation in the car was even better when it's really cold in the winter – you could have saved a little on the heating and gotten even longer range.
Maxus e-Deliver 3. The car that entrepreneur Jonas Kero drove during the winter.
Battery 50.2 kWh. Range approximately 228 km (WLTP). Cargo volume approximately 6.3 m3.
– Have you ever been left with a dead battery?
No, not really. The car is good at telling you how much range is left – and I think it's actually pretty accurate.
And if you get very little left in the battery, the car goes into safety mode for the last 20 kilometers – then you drive a maximum of 85 km/h and other functions that use a lot of electricity are reduced. So if you push it hard, you should still have a decent chance of getting through anyway.
– It's a transport truck – how has the load affected it?
My car has about 6 cubic meters of cargo space. I have put boxes in the floor and a lot of tools. It is probably a total load of 500 kg.
I don't think the load has any particular impact on the range. I picked up the car empty when I bought it, but I've had about the same range with my load.
"I've driven 1,200 kilometers during the year – and 'refueled' for 4,800 SEK – about the same as a month's tank of diesel fuel"
– How did you charge?
Yes, up here in Pajala we don't have any fast chargers. So it's been at home with a charging box exclusively. With 1-phase charging 16 A fuse it takes maybe 15-16 hours to fully charge. If it had been 3-phase it would have been much faster.
But you usually don't completely drain the battery every day – so I've always had good range when I leave the next morning.
– Have you done the math? How much do you save by driving on electricity?
I actually checked the other day. I've had the car for 1 year and 'fueled' 4,000 kWh in total. Driven about 1200 miles in that time. And right now I'm at 1.50 SEK per kilowatt here at home.
So it cost SEK 4,800 (excl. VAT) to drive 1,200 miles – about what I used to pay for one month when I was driving diesel.
– Do you think you will switch back to a diesel car?
Well, I'll probably continue with electric. It's only going to get better with the car's battery and charging options.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a stable range of over 300 miles. It would have been nice to have winter time.
– What would you like to say to other entrepreneurs who are thinking about taking the plunge?
If you can handle a range of 150-200 kilometers and can charge at home, there's nothing to worry about. The savings are that big.
Thanks Jonas from JKEL for the chat!
