In addition to its first electric people mover, LDV’s local line-up is getting a new petrol and diesel-powered model.
Government documents show the LDV G90 petrol and diesel people mover has been approved for sale in Australia alongside its MIFA 9 electric counterpart.
While the presence of approval documents doesn’t always mean a vehicle is coming to Australia, CarExpert understands the G90 range will be launched locally – though whether its launch coincides with the November arrival of the MIFA 9 is unclear.
The G90 will serve as a replacement for the G10 people mover, discontinued earlier this year.
LDV G90 
The documents list two available engines: a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 160kW of power at 6000rpm, and a turbo-diesel with 118.5kW at 4000rpm. Both are mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The petrol engine’s outputs are different from the Chinese market, where the G90 is advertised as producing 172kW of power and 390Nm of torque. The Chinese-market G90 features a 48V mild-hybrid system, and it’s unclear if the Australian-market model will.
Unbraked towing capacity is 750kg on all G90 and MIFA 9 models, while braked towing capacity is listed as 2000kg for all combustion-powered models and 1000kg for the MIFA 9.
Petrol, diesel and electric models are all available in Elite, Luxury and Flagship trim levels, and the van range will offer a choice of 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels.
LDV MIFA 9 
The MIFA 9 features a 180kW electric powertrain, and LDV has previously confirmed it’ll use a 90kWh lithium-ion battery with a claimed WLTP electric range of up to 440km, depending on the variant.
Charging the MIFA 9 via an 11kW home wall-charger takes approximately 8.5 hours, while DC rapid charging requires approximately 36 minutes to go from 20-80 per cent full.
The company has also said it expects to secure a five-star Euro NCAP rating, and the MIFA 9 will come standard with a suite of active safety and driver assist features including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, emergency lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning.
The G90 is likely to follow suit. That represents a big step up over the G10, which had only a three-star ANCAP rating and lacked any active safety technology, while also having only two airbags.
All models are 5270mm long, 2000mm wide and 1845mm tall (1840mm in the MIFA 9) on a 3200mm wheelbase.
They also feature MacPherson strut front and five-link independent rear suspension.
LDV has confirmed the MIFA 9 will be offered with seven seats at first, with an eight-seat option due in 2023. Only seven-seat G90s appear on the approval documents, suggesting the six-seat option available in China – with captain’s chairs in every row – won’t be coming here.
The new petrol and diesel people mover will generate some competition for the Kia Carnival, the dominant force in Australia’s people-mover market with a whopping 72 per cent segment share this year.
Staples of the segment such as the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Tarago are no longer on sale.
The MIFA 9 will find itself with even less competition. Currently, there are no electric people movers on sale in Australia, though Mercedes-Benz will introduce its eVito Tourer and EQV later this year.
