Never heard of Maxus before? Don’t worry, before I started the research for this article, neither had I. Maxus is a brand owned by the Chinese company SAIC Motor, which also owns the MG brand. Compared to the MG4, MG5, and MG ZS, this Maxus MIFA 9 is a very different beast. The MIFA 9 is one of very few full electric people carriers and its one of very few fully electric people carriers that can actually tow anything. But is the MIFA 9 actually a practical electric tow car?
Table of Contents
Key Maxus MIFA 9 Specs
- Official Towing Capacity – 1,000 kg
- Max Nose Weight – 100 kg
- Availability – Now
- Price – Starting £64,306
- Range (EV Database) – 215 miles
- Estimated Towing Range (50%) – 107 miles
- Efficiency – 419 wh/mi
- Maximum DC Charge Rate – 120kW
- Rapid Charge 10% to 80% – 50 min
- Check Used Maxus MIFA 9 Specs
Maxus MIFA 9 HP & Torque
- FWD: 241 HP and 258 lb-ft of torque
Maxus MIFA 9 Towing Capabilties
With a towing capacity of 1,000 kg, there are several small touring caravans that the Maxus MIFA 9 is spec’d to tow, along with a multitude of other cargo trailers etc.
If you have a large family, then fully electric 7-seaters which can also tow are thin on the ground at the moment. The only other example I can think of currently is the VW ID.Buzz.
In terms of range, the MIFA 9 features what would typically be described at this point as a fairly large 93 kWh battery (90 kWh useable). However, note this is a large vehicle, and its efficiency isn’t great.
With a consumption of 419 wh/mi it means a real-world range not much than 200 miles and a realistic towing range on average of around 100 miles.
Now, that’s not too surprising really due to its size/shape and weight of 2,400 kg. Really its the DC rapid charging rate which I find most disappointing.
With a peak charge rate of 120 kW and a 50-minute recharge time going from 10% to 80%, it means the Maxus MIFA 9 is not going to be a practical as a long-range electric tow car.
Maxus MIFA 9 vs VW ID.Buzz
The VW ID.Buzz also has a maximum towing capacity of 1,000 kg. However, its maximum nose weight of 50 kg makes it far less practical as a tow car compared to the MIFA 9 with a 100 kg capacity.
The ID.Buzz has even less power than the MIFA 9, closer to 200 HP, and it has a usable battery capacity of just 77 kWh. However, the ID.Buzz is notably more efficient. Therefore the real-world range is comparable to the MIFA 9.
With a starting price of around £57,000, the ID.Buzz is the cheaper option, and arguably the more stylish, with greater consumer demand due to the heritage of the brand and previous models.
However, I don’t really think either model is a practical long-range electric tow car. Then again, in this 7-seater segment, these are currently really the only two options.
Maxus MIFA 9 Review
While the Maxus MIFA 9 may not be a very practical long-range electric tow car, the interior and particularly the passenger captain seats are very impressive.
My Thoughts On The Maxus MIFA 9
A £64K plus price tag for a vehicle from a brand that very few people have heard of before may end up being a tough sell, and it will be interesting to see how many MIFA 9 models Maxus is able to sell.
The poor efficiency of the MIFA 9, despite its large battery, means its real-world range is not great, and that’s before you put a trailer on the back.
Therefore, I don’t think its a practical long-range electric tow car, but it has a very special interior, and if you have a large family and only tow distances under 100 miles, it may be worth a look.