The first electric car we ever drove was the Mahindra Reva, the gawky, beady-eyed, older sibling of the Mahindra e20. It was tiny, slow, and the dials would haphazardly flail around if you went full throttle. Nevertheless, it was still one of the pioneers in the Nepalese electric vehicle industry. This was back in August of 2012, almost 10 years ago. The industry itself has developed in leaps and bounds and electric cars aren’t what they used to be. However, it was still slightly surprising to be sitting behind the first electric pickup truck in Nepal: the JAC E-T8.

Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Company (JAC Motors) is a Chinese Automobile and Commercial Vehicle Manufacturer that is distributed by Thee Go in Nepal. The brand itself is a giant in China; it has been around for over 50 years now and its factories produce 100,000 units annually. The brand is also a prolific producer of electric vehicles. In Nepal, it comes in the form of yet another addition to the onslaught of Chinese brands entering the market.

We put the JAC E-T8 through its paces to see what it brings into the mix.

Exterior and Design

At first glance, you can’t help but notice that the JAC E-T8 holds some resemblance to American pickup trucks; think watered-down versions of Rams and Chevys. For people who find the world of these big, burly behemoths appealing, this is a good thing.

Furthermore, the JAC isn’t one to shy away from attention and you can probably tell that by the massive chrome hexagonal grille in the front with the red JAC badge smack dab in the middle of it. This is flanked by wraparound Xenon headlamps with integrated LED DRLs and indicators. Lower on the grille you also get fog lamps.

The JAC E-T8 takes up a lot of real estate on the roads of Nepal. For reference, it is longer, taller, and wider than the Toyota Hilux. The size is most apparent when you view it from its profile. The 18-inch, diamond-cut dual tone alloy wheels definitely help assert a stronger presence. Black cladding on the wheel arches, the sports bar on the rear tray, and the chrome handles add some design elements to the profile. The E-T8 also comes with a side step to assist with ingress and egress to and from the cabin.

Around the back you get vertically stacked, double C pattern LED tail lamps, and rear fog lamps as well. The tailgate gets a conventional black plastic handle and minimal badging. The loading tray is massive. With a payload of 800kgs, the utility it can provide is pretty decent.

Interior and Features

The interior is certainly less impressive. Most pickups are utility-focused, so it is futile to expect too much from the cabin. Nevertheless, it is spacious and can accommodate all passengers with ease. Our test driver (who stands pointedly taller and larger than the average Nepali) did have some difficulties fitting in comfortably in the driver’s seat. Even with the steering column tilted to its highest setting and the seat scooted down to its lowest, the steering wheel did touch his knees. While the vantage point was splendid, with all parts of the bonnet clearly visible, we would have loved it if the seating position was friendlier for bigger folks. However, this should not be an issue if you aren’t over 6 feet tall.

Hard plastic has been used throughout the cabin, most of which you will find on the dash. The center console houses the touchscreen infotainment center with Bluetooth connectivity which doubles as a screen for the reversing camera. Below the screen, you get controls for the air conditioning with physical buttons and knobs which were very user-friendly. You get silver metallic plastic on the lower half of the central console which houses the gear shifter, parking brake, and two cup holders. While the overall quality and fit and finish are decent enough, we can’t get over the plastic gear knob. The white shifter looks plasticky and it feels like a last-minute replacement on the vehicle.

The steering wheel is chunky and feels nice to hold. You get buttons to operate the media and audio command. The digital instrument cluster provides you with telltale information about your drive. This includes the speed, distance, a very visible battery life bar, and a less visible number display showing the ampere levels the motor is churning out or into the battery through regenerative braking.

Performance

Putting this massive hunk of machinery into motion is a 67.2kWh Lithium-ion battery. This produces 40kw of max power and 330Nm of maximum torque. On a fast charger, you can get a full charge (0%-100%) in 2 hours. On an AC charger, a full charge will take you 16.5 hours. A full charge will get you a maximum of 300kms under normal driving conditions (NEDC Endurance Mileage). Realistically, the actual range is likely to be around 225kms-270kms. We will get to the usability of the range a little while later.

Shift into drive and the JAC E-T8 briskly moves forward. Right from the get-go, you can tell it isn’t out to win any races. The top speed comes is stated at 90kmph, and it doesn’t get there in a hurry. Switching to Eco mode will give you more battery life, however, it also leads to a tamer driving experience. Finding the confidence to make high speed overtaking maneuver does take a hit, but for easy cruising at around 60kmph, the eco mode is sufficient. If you are looking for a more spirited drive, you can switch back to normal mode at a push of a button. This spruces up the motors and the output is much livelier. If you are driving on the highway, eco mode is not what you want.

What we found slightly peculiar was that you have to open up the bonnet every time you need to recharge the JAC E-T8 at home. The AC charging port is under the bonnet, while the charging port behind the fuel cap slot is exclusively for fast charging. But, it shouldn’t be much of a problem.

As you might have expected, there is a significant body roll when you take on the corners. Nevertheless, the double-wishbone independent suspension upfront provides a decently comfortable drive. The leaf spring suspensions on the rear mean that an unladen vehicle will lead to a slightly bumpy ride, especially when driving offroad. Overall, the driving dynamics are balanced. The JAC E-T8 takes care of road undulations well and it can easily hold its own when you take it off the tarmac.

You also get regenerative braking as well as a brake override system. It is software that automatically overrides a vehicle’s throttle when both the brake and the accelerator are depressed at the same time. This mechanism is designed to stop a car, even if the engine is accelerating.

Now, to address the elephant in the room. All of the power from the batteries are delivered to the rear wheels… only. That means you don’t 4WD, even as an option. This might not come as an issue for some people, but for us, it is a necessary requirement for a pickup truck. Don’t’ get us wrong, it can easily clamber up beaten-up terrains. We put it through some punishing roads and it did not complain.

In fact, it felt pretty comfortable off the beaten track. However, off-road driving isn’t always easy sailing. Whether it’s struggling for traction up loose trails or pulling yourself out of sticky mud, the chances of you running into difficult terrain are generally high. A 4WD system is imperative in this situation. Moreover, since the JAC E-T8 is likely to be used for its utility purpose, 4WD would be very useful.

Verdict

Nepal has always been a pickup-loving country. For many, the Toyota Hilux sits atop the totem pole of pickups. Not far behind are the Rangers, Navaras, L200s, D-Max, Xenons, Scorpio Pikups, and the likes. These pickups usually find themselves at government jobs, the hands of off-road enthusiasts, in project work, or as utilitarian transporter. The JAC E-T8 has the potential to fare well in almost any sector.

There are a few caveats though. Firstly, the 300km range from the electric motor might not cut the mustard in the world of pickups. The claimed 300km range, which realistically will hover around 250kms at best, is not enough for some of the long-distance travelling that these cars might be asked to do. You could plan your routes and timings to accommodate the range limit, but it would not be the most ideal situation. For in-city travelling and occasional family vacations, the range is plentiful.

Secondly, the omission of a four-wheel drive train was a miss. With conventional internal combustion cars, there are extra linkages and mechanical parts needed to make an engine drive all four wheels. However, since electric motors are compact, it is comparatively easier to make an electric car run 4WD by adding another motor to power the axle that’s not already driven. Obviously, we are oversimplifying things here; but, it is baffling that JAC decided to keep the E-T8 rear-wheel driven, without a 4WD variant even as an option. While the lack of 4WD is not a handicap, it would certainly have been a worthwhile addition.

And this brings us to the final talking point: the price. The JAC E-T8 comes in at a price of Rs 72 Lakh. With this, you get a very handsome vehicle which is the first electric pickup in Nepal. It provides a decent drive with a claimed range of 300kms. Unlike ICE pickups, the JAC E-T8 is significantly better for the environment. If these factors are reason enough for you to pick up the E-T8 over other pickups in the market (some of which are cheaper), then the JAC E-T8 is for you.