MG’s first electric ute has made its global debut at the Melbourne motor show.
The MG U9 EV is a lightly restyled version of the LDV/Maxus eTerron 9 that’s already on sale in other markets, but for which local launch timing remains unconfirmed.
The U9 EV in Melbourne has been shown by MG while the model is yet to be revealed, it has not confirmed any details (including launch timing) – for the Model.
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It’s set to be one of the next electric utes to be offered in Australia, after the LDV eT60 and KGM Musso EV, with the Toyota HiLux BEV locked in for a launch during the second quarter (April to June) of this year.
The U9 Black Edition, based on the diesel-powered U9, also made its debut in Melbourne.
This resembles the chrome-filled U9 (U9.) utes already available in Australia, which has a darker look than the Chrome-laden U 9 uters as it is known by its name. That’s also a dark-finish grille, and that includes .
However, the Black Edition has yet to confirm launch timing and price. This standard line-up of U9 is currently on sale for $52,990 to $60,990 drive-away.
The U9 EV is likely to attract a significant premium over these diesel variants.
The battery is reportedly going to be an 102kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery with 430km of WLTP range, similar to its LDV twin offered overseas.
Per a government approval filing from March, the U9 EV features a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain, with the motors producing 200kW of power and 125kW of power respectively, for a total system power output of 325kW.
A towing capacity of 3500kg is listed with a payload of 685kg, while the U9 EV (18-, 19- or 20-inch wheels) are listed as offering ‘braked tow capability’.
The U9 EV ditches the flashy, complex grille of this diesel-powered ute for a closed-off front-end that is mostly closed except some small air intakes.
Under headlight clusters there is a full-width light bar that connects the C-shaped daytime running lights inside the front bumper overall and another front passenger overall.
Down back, the tail-light clusters are virtually identical, but the EV features a full-width light bar across the tailgate.
LDV was the first auto brand in Australia with an electric ute, launching the single-motor rear-wheel drive, body-on-frame eT60 here in 2023.
But this segment is also known as a ghost town, with the sale of the eT60 in small numbers and the confirmation of an erron 9 for launching at ‘a local launch that has still not yet been conducted’.
The next electric ute to arrive in Australia, in 2025, was the unibody KGM Musso EV, which is offered with either single-motor front-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrains.
LDV eT60
KGM Musso EV
In contrast, the US saw a boom of (full-size) electric pickups, though initial hype over this segment has cooled – sales of the Tesla Cybertruck slumped by almost half in 2025 and the Ford F-150 Lightning is being replaced with an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV).
Plug-in hybrid utes are growing in popularity at a much sharper rate in Australia than EV ones, with the BYD Shark 6 launched last year as the first such ute in Australia and being quickly followed by the Ford Ranger PHEV and GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV, with rivals from Chery, JAC and Nissan to follow.
So popular is the Shark 6 in particular that last year it became Australia’s best-selling PHEV, and even outsold ute stalwarts like the Mazda BT-50.
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Explore the MG U9 showroom
Thanks for reading MG Australia previews expanded ute range with EV black edition
