MG U9 EV ute detailed for Australia, LDV twin still a no-show

The MG U9 EV has been detailed for Australia, joining the handful of electric utes on our market and offering a 3500kg braked towing capacity, air suspension, and 430km of WLTP range.

MG Motor Australia says we’ll be the first market to receive the U9 EV, though unlike in Nepal, pricing has yet to be announced for our market despite the ute having made its in-person debut locally back in April.

We’ve contacted MG Motor Australia to confirm when customer deliveries will begin, as this information also has yet to be announced. However, it’s looking likely the MG will beat its LDV, the eTerron 9, to market.

“We continue to work with the factory on the LDV eTerron 9,” said an LDV Australia spokesperson. The eTerron 9 was confirmed back in November 2024 for a local launch in early 2025, receiving Australian Design Rule certification and being spied testing locally, but still has yet to appear in local showrooms.

Its MG twin, however, has been locked in for a local launch.

The dual-motor all-wheel drive U9 EV features a 102.2kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that can be charged at up to 11kW on AC power and 115kW on DC power, and which gives the big ute 430km of WLTP range.

MG claims the U9 EV can be charged from 20 to 80 per cent in 42 minutes, while vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality allows you to power small appliances at up to 6.6kW using the external port and 2.2kW using any of the three internal outlets.

Dual electric motors produce a total system output of 325kW and 700Nm, giving the U9 EV a claimed 0-100km/h time of 5.8 seconds.

While MG is calling the U9 EV a "lifestyle ute”, a term often applied to less rugged utes, braked towing capacity matches the top-selling diesel-powered Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux at 3500kg.

Unbraked towing capacity is 750kg, with the U9 EV offering a total payload of 685kg.

The tub can fit a standard pallet, while under the bonnet there’s a 236-litre storage compartment.

Unlike the diesel-powered MG U9, the U9 EV features four-wheel electronic air suspension.

The specifications are essentially identical to the LDV/Maxus eTerron 9 sold overseas, though MG appears to have declined to bring the single-motor rear-wheel drive variant.

Standard equipment for the MG U9 EV also includes:

• Hands-free power tailgate
• Surround-view camera
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 15W wireless charger
• Leather-trimmed front seats
• Heated, ventilated and massaging driver’s seat
• Heated front passenger seat
• Heated steering wheel
• 8-speaker JBL sound system

Pricing has yet to be announced, but the diesel-powered U9 is currently priced from $59,990 drive-away.

MG is boasting a five-star rating from ANCAP, though the safety authority has yet to publish this rating. However, sister authority Euro NCAP awarded it five stars in 2024.

The U9 EV is distinguished from its diesel-powered sibling through a different front bumper and a smooth, grille-less fascia, as well as a light bar running across the tailgate.

It measures 5500mm long, 1997mm wide and 1860mm tall on a 3300mm wheelbase.

Parent company SAIC Motor describes the LDV and MG utes as having “semi-monocoque” construction, in contrast with the rival Toyota HiLux BEV which is body-on-frame and the KGM Musso EV which is unibody/monocoque.

The MG trounces the HiLux in range (430km vs 245km respectively), braked towing capacity (3500kg vs 2000kg) and power and torque (325kW/700Nm vs 144kW/468Nm), though the Toyota has the edge in DC charge rate (115kW vs 150kW).

The KGM Musso EV comes closer in range (380km to 420km, depending on the variant), but can tow only 1800kg and even in dual-motor all-wheel drive guise falls short in power and torque (266kW and 630Nm).

There are no other electric utes presently in Australia, with the unpopular LDV eT60 having disappeared from the Chinese brand’s website.

“The MG U9 EV brings together the capability and utility people expect from a ute with the comfort and benefits of an electric powertrain,” said MG Motor Australia marketing director Dimitri Andreatidis in a press release.

“It’s designed to be used every day, whether that’s for work during the week, the school run or getting away on the weekend. Being the first market globally to launch the MG U9 EV is also a significant milestone for MG and reflects the importance of Australia to our business.”

MORE: Explore the MG U9 showroom
MORE: Explore the LDV Terron 9 showroom