Isuzu D-Max EV 2026: First Impressions of the New Electric Pickup

publishing its first drive impressions of the new dual-motor electric pickup. For buyers weighing an electric work truck against diesel options, this is an early data point worth tracking — not yet a decision.

What What Car? put through its paces

The British outlet's review covers the three questions that actually move a pickup purchase: how the dual-motor powertrain behaves under real loads, what usable range looks like beyond the brochure number, and where the spec sheet lands against the diesel D-Max buyers already know. That's a sensible scope for a first drive — no spec-sheet parade, just the practical questions a working truck owner would raise on a test loop.

Why this matters for the EV truck segment

The D-Max EV enters a category still defining itself. Battery-powered pickups have spent the last few years proving they can tow and haul in principle; the harder questions are about sustained performance. First drive reviews can confirm the truck steers well, rides reasonably, and feels solid in normal driving, but they rarely answer the scenarios that decide a work truck's value: how range holds up with a trailer behind it for 200 miles, what battery degradation looks like after two years of heavy towing, and whether the public charging network actually reaches the job sites or rural routes the truck is meant to serve.

For buyers, the headline isn't whether the D-Max EV can do truck things. Most modern EVs can manage a payload run. The real calculus is whether the out-the-door price, the realistic range with load, and the charging logistics align with how the truck will be used day in and day out.

What to watch next

Until independent reviewers publish long-term data on towing efficiency, payload impact on range, and cold-weather performance, treat this first drive as one useful signal rather than a verdict. The questions worth waiting for answers on: confirmed pricing that makes sense against the diesel D-Max on a total-cost-of-ownership basis, third-party range tests with a trailer attached, and clarity on whether Isuzu plans bidirectional charging or fleet-friendly features for small business buyers. The financial math — purchase price, residual value, charging costs versus diesel, maintenance intervals — still drives most truck decisions, and that's the ground where the D-Max EV will need to prove itself.