{"id":6308,"date":"2014-06-11T14:44:24","date_gmt":"2014-06-11T14:44:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vanrental.co.uk\/vanblog\/?p=6308"},"modified":"2014-06-11T14:44:24","modified_gmt":"2014-06-11T14:44:24","slug":"nissan-launches-e-nv200-electric-van-the-shape-of-things-to-come","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vanrental.co.uk\/vanblog\/archives\/6308","title":{"rendered":"Nissan launches e-NV200 electric van — the shape of things to come?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nissan has launched its e-NV200 electric van,\u00a0which\u00a0the firm claims offers a 106 mile range, a top\u00a0speed of 76mph and fuel costs as low as 25%\u00a0those of a diesel-fuelled van.<\/p>\n

\"Nissan

The Nissan e-NV200 electric van<\/p><\/div>\n

These claims should be more realistic\u00a0usual, too, as the e-NV200 has been one of the most widely-trialled vehicles of recent years, thanks to\u00a0trials with a number of large fleet operators.<\/p>\n

At least one trial customer, British Gas, has already placed a 100-van order<\/a>, suggesting that the e-NV200\u00a0does live up to expectations.<\/p>\n

For my\u00a0money, Nissan could sell a lot more e-NV200 vans\u00a0than LEAFs, thanks to the more predictable and\u00a0repeatable usage cycles of vans, many of which travel less than 60 miles a day on a fixed route, every day for years, returning each night to off-road parking in a secure yard, where they can be easily\u00a0and safely charged.<\/p>\n

Compare that to the average private car usage scenario:\u00a0vans have the edge, and as I’ve mentioned many times before, I believe vans, not cars, will\u00a0be the first vehicles to achieve\u00a0commerical success in the electric vehicle marketplace. Indeed, I’d go so far as to say the the e-NV200 could be the van that tips the balance<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What about the van?<\/h3>\n

I digress. Getting back to the e-NV200, the van itself is based on\u00a0Nissan’s NV200 diesel-powered van, while the\u00a0e-NV200’s drivetrain comes from the Nissan LEAF, the firm’s electric car offering.<\/p>\n

\"Nissan

The view under the bonnet — far fewer oily mechanical bits than usual. Plus it’s almost silent.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

However,\u00a0it isn’t just\u00a0mash-up of two existing vehicles — 30% of the e-NV200’s parts are unique to the model, and the chassis, interior, battery pack and regenerative braking system have all be altered from their original (NV200 or LEAF) specifications.<\/p>\n

The e-NV200 has a cargo volume of 4.2 cubic metres and can carry two Euro pallets.<\/p>\n

\"Nissan

The Nissan e-NV200 can carry two Euro pallets in its 4.2 cubic metre load compartment.<\/p><\/div>\n

Scheduled maintenance costs are expected to be 40% lower,\u00a0thanks in part to the lack of engine oil, engine belts and conventional gear box\u00a0and clutch.<\/p>\n

Although the e-NV200 van will be built\u00a0at Nissan’s plant in Barcelona, the UK — a major European manufacturing base for Nissan — will\u00a0get some of the action, as Nissan’s battery plant in Sunderland will produce the van’s lithium-ion battery cells.<\/p>\n

\"Nissan

Inside the cab, it’s almost like a normal van — just a few control differences. Ideal for van drivers switching between vehicles.<\/p><\/div>\n

The battery can be recharged overnight in 8 hours using a domestic 16-amp single-phase 3.3 kW charger, or in just four hours if the optional 6.6kW\/32-amp charger is fitted and a suitable supply is used.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, a dedicated CHAdeMO DC 50 kW quick charger can recharge the battery to 80 percent capacity in as little as 30 minutes, if the battery still holds some charge, meaning that e-NV200 can be charged while it is being loaded with goods for another delivery, for example.<\/p>\n

In my view, it all adds up — especially as the e-NV200 has been priced in the UK to go head-to-head with diesel vans<\/a>, with prices starting from just under \u00a314,000.<\/p>\n

\"Nissan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nissan has launched the e-NV200 electric van, which goes on sale in the UK in June 2014.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[139],"tags":[1668,492],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vanrental.co.uk\/vanblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6308"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vanrental.co.uk\/vanblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vanrental.co.uk\/vanblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vanrental.co.uk\/vanblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vanrental.co.uk\/vanblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6308"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.vanrental.co.uk\/vanblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6308\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6317,"href":"https:\/\/www.vanrental.co.uk\/vanblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6308\/revisions\/6317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vanrental.co.uk\/vanblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vanrental.co.uk\/vanblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vanrental.co.uk\/vanblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}