The Nissan e-NV200 is to go on public sale from June.

The compact segment van uses powertrain from the Nissan Leaf, built into the NV200 compact van. Built in Barcelona, the zero emissions van features an array of technology aimed at the van segment.

The e-NV200’s high performance pure electric drivetrain, based on that used in the acclaimed Nissan LEAF, is allied to the class-leading cargo volume of the NV200 to create a practical and versatile vehicle capable of carrying people or goods while producing neither exhaust emissions nor noise pollution.

When sales start in June, the e-NV200 will be available as a van or as a five-seat people carrier in Combi or more luxurious Evalia guises. Although mainly targeted at businesses, e-NV200 will also appeal to private users with large families. The e-NV200’s homologated NEDC range (170kms) is greater than the average 100km daily driving distance of over half the fleets who utilise this class of van and the payload and cargo area is the same as NV200’s.

The battery can be recharged overnight using a domestic 16-amp single-phase 3.3 kW supply which reduces to four hours if a 6.6kW/32-amp supply is used. A dedicated CHAdeMO DC 50 kW quick charger can recharge the battery from 0-80 percent in just 30 minutes or less if the battery is already partially charged. More than 1000 public CHAdeMO quick chargers are now installed across Europe, in addition a number of companies have installed their own dedicated quick charging facilities at their home depots or offices.

“The e-NV200 goes into a totally different market segment to the Nissan LEAF and alongside the world’s best selling electric vehicle will help us continue to lead the EV revolution. To do that we haven’t simply converted the NV200 to electric, we have thoroughly re-engineered to create a product that isn’t just a good electric van, it is a fantastic van by any standards,” said Guillaume Carter, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing for Nissan Europe.

Director of Electric Vehicles for Nissan Europe, Jean-Pierre Diernaz is excited by what the e-NV200 brings to the range, commenting: “The proven and highly effective electric powertrain driving e-NV200 is ideally suited to the typical stop/start daily routine of a working vehicle. With no exhaust or noise pollution, e-NV200 is environmentally and people friendly, while the lack of fatigue-inducing noise and vibration from the drivetrain coupled with the single-speed transmission will provide genuine benefits to every hard working delivery or taxi driver. Fleet operators, meanwhile, will love the low running costs.”

 Although based on existing hardware, e-NV200 has undergone a full engineering development programme as if it were new from the ground up. The drivetrain has been re-engineered in a number of significant areas to suit its new role, while changes have been made to the vehicle shell to ensure there has been no compromise to NV200’s cargo space.

 The LCV version still has a cargo volume of 4.2m3 and can carry two standard Euro pallets, while sliding side doors on both sides and wide opening rear doors ensure that loading and unloading is as easy as possible.

A comprehensive ‘real-world’ test programme has been undertaken in Japan and Europe with pre-production models handed over to internationally known companies – including FedEx, Coca-Cola, DHL, IKEA, British Gas, EDF and the Japan Post Office – to operate as part of their everyday fleets. Feedback from drivers and fleet managers has been used to fine tune e-NV200 before series production began at Nissan’s major LCV facility in Barcelona, Spain.