Commercial vehicle operators approach the appraisal of a new vehicle with a completely different approach to a private car buyer or company car ‘user chooser’. Considerations such as paint colour range, and the availability of options such as Bluetooth, satnav, rear view camera and various safety items do get considered but only after cost – how much to buy or lease, how much to run?
Little wonder then, that costs get a mention right at the top of Nissan UK’s 26-page press kit for the new e-NV200 all-electric van – 40% lower servicing costs and “up to four times cheaper to fuel than diesel vehicles”.
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Other things the automaker thinks might appeal to the buyer and, more importantly, the person driving the thing on the job every day, include the vibration-free, emission-free and noise-free drivetrain, claimed 106-mile range and 76mph top speed.
Built alongside other commercial vehicles at Nissan Europe’s Spanish plant in Barcelona, the e-NV200 combines the battery electric drivetrain and front suspension of the Leaf with the body and most of the interior of the diesel NV200 van, launched here several years ago. But Nissan claims the e-NV200 is far more than a simple conversion of an existing conventionally powered vehicle and about 30% of its components are unique. There are styling changes to distinguish the ‘lecky model, a re-engineered chassis, interior revisions, a reshaped traction motor battery pack and a higher capacity regenerative braking system.
“The result is a range of zero-emission vehicles that are capable of making a significant contribution not only to future mobility but also to the business model of any company using small vans, people movers or taxis, the automaker said.
“For as well as being an exciting vehicle to drive, e-NV200 will be cost effective to run and, just as importantly, its sustainability will reflect positively on any operator’s business decision.”
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By GlobalDataHaving spent a lot of research and marketing time leading up to the Leaf hatchback’s global launch about three years ago – just-auto attended no fewer than three media events for the model, starting with factory development mules – Nissan has invested considerable time and money readying the electric van for market. The testing programme included providing global companies – like DHL – and national companies – like British Gas here in the UK – with prototype vehicles to provide feedback in ‘real world usage’. This appears to have been favourable – Nissan GB claims British Gas engineers – who make home visits to repair heating boilers and other appliances – “didn’t want to hand them back” at the end of the trial. The company has now ordered 100 for its urban-use fleet.
When sales start this month, the e-NV200 will be available as a compact van and as a five-seat passenger vehicle in Combi or, in Europe but not the UK, more luxurious Evalia versions – such vehicles are taxed as passenger cars in the UK. Evalia trim likely makes the Combi too expensive but Nissan GB reckons they decided to keep the initial range simple.
The van version has a cargo volume of 4.2cu m and can carry two standard Euro pallets, while sliding side doors on both sides and wide opening rear doors – a top hinged single rear door is also available – ensure that loading and unloading is as easy as possible.
Noting that “running costs are the number one priority for most fleet operators”, Nissan said maintenance costs are that claimed 40% lower because, without engine oil, belts, gearbox or clutch there are fewer parts to be checked or replaced. Fuel costs are also significantly lower, with diesel costing three or four times as much as electricity for 100km (62 miles) of driving.
In the coming year, Nissan, approved as sole supplier of New York City cabs with a petrol automatic NV200 built specifically for the market, will roll out dedicated taxi versions of the e-NV200 built to comply with specific, and different, regulations in European cities. The first will be the vehicle’s home city of Barcelona, which is where we drove the new van versions (on roads which were taxi-free due to a strike).
While standard NV200s are built in several factories world wide, the Barcelona factory is the sole source of the e-NV200 which is produced alongside the combustion engine models using lithium-ion battery cells produced at Nissan’s battery plant in Sunderland, UK. The battery packs themselves are made in Barcelona to a unique design for the EV van.
Homologated NEDC range for Europe is 106 miles – which Nissan’s research has shown in considerably more than the average 100km (62mph) daily driving distance of 70% of the fleets using compact vans in their businesses. In Europe, 35% of this category of van never travel more than 120km (75 miles) a day in the life of the van, the automaker reckons.
Payload capacity is slightly higher than the diesel cousin with up to 770kg possible.
The battery can be recharged overnight in eight hours using a domestic 16 amp, single phase, 3.3kW charger – ideal where the van is not needed around the clock – and charge time reduces to four hours if the optional 6.6kW/32 amp charger is fitted and a suitable power supply is used.
Alternatively, a dedicated CHAdeMO DC 50kW quick charger can recharge the battery to 80% capacity in as little as 30 minutes if the battery still holds some charge, so the electric van can be charged while it is being loaded with goods for another delivery, say.
Over 1,100 public access CHAdeMO quick chargers have been installed across Europe, with 220 of those in the UK. Nissan also expects e-NV200 fleet operators will install their own quick chargers as generous government subsidies are available. Taxi companies including Taxi Electric in the Netherlands and C&C Taxis in the UK have installed quick chargers at their depots to increase fleet use.
Nissan Europe reckons about 30% of light van buyers could, in time, be converted from diesel to the electric model.
“There is change in the air,” said Jean-Pierre Diernaz, the automaker’s director of electric vehicles. “Europe’s cities are introducing ever stringent restrictions on emissions. London already has a congestion charge zone based on emissions while the city’s mayor is preparing for the introduction of an ultra low emission zone by 2020.
“Paris has this year prevented vehicles driving into its centre in a bid to cut pollution. Diesels, meanwhile, are coming under increased scrutiny for their NOx and particulate emissions.”
Nissan claims all of the 200,000 vans sold each year, which never cover more than 100km a day in their lifetime, could be replaced by the e-NV200 without ever needing to stop to refuel during their working day.
“This simple fact, combined with the low running costs, capabilities and comfort make this a truly game-changing vehicle,” added Diernaz.
Certainly, we can’t see the drivers feeling short-changed. The instantly available maximum torque of the electric motor allows the van to step off the line very promptly to the point we startled a number of other drivers at traffic lights in the city of Barcelona where Nissan launched the electric models.
Selecting ‘B’ on the gear selector adds additional regenerative braking, as in the Leaf which makes city driving even easier – between sets of traffic lights the braking effort is sufficient to slow the vehicle in most traffic with the hydraulic brakes being used only to finally slow and halt the van for the next queue. The quietness of the powertrain – only a faint whine at low speeds and tyre and wind noise are heard – must make for a less stressful workday and the air conditioning – optional on the base van model in the UK – was able to hope with temperatures nudging 30C.
At the end of the day, I’d have liked a less ‘bus-like’ steering wheel position and a bit more seat shape and padding but it is a commercial vehicle after all. A low load floor and wide opening side doors made tossing in a simulated full load easy and the reversing camera – standard or optional according to market makes manouevring into parking spaces and load docks much easier, especially in the vans with no rear windows.
The combi versions have three rear seats with fixed windows in the doors – full or partial side glazing is available according to market. The posher Evalia models have fold-down picnic tables for rear passengers, full door and side panel trim, rather than painted surfaces, plus sliding ‘porthole’ opening window panels in the doors (and dark tinted side glass) as well as various storage cubbies in the side trim. The legs of the folded up seats form a ‘bike rack’ and three can be carried with the seats folded. Nissan says three can also be carried with the seats in use if one bike’s front wheel is removed.
While you probably wouldn’t buy one as your only vehicle (it would, though, be ideal for an active family with lots of sporting gear or bikes to cart around), either combi – base or Evalia – would be ideal for the family where one parent needs a van for a business such as a florist and still needs to be able to do a school run weekdays and schlep around some members of a sports team – and lots of their kit – at weekends.
