Nissan Motor Co has taken the covers off the production version of its e-NV200 zero emission compact van at the Geneva Motor Show. With this vehicle, which will be produced at the Barcelona plant in Spain, Nissan becomes the first automaker to have two all-electric vehicles in its global line-up, joining the Leaf, the world’s best-selling EV.

The e-NV200’s high-performance pure electric drivetrain, based on the one used in the Leaf, is allied to the class-leading cargo volume (4.2m³) of the NV200 (the Evalia in India) 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, the e-NV200 will also appeal to private users with large families. The e-NV200 has a homologated NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) range of 170km. The payload and cargo area is the same as the 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. 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 VP (sales and marketing), Nissan Europe.

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 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.

The e-NV200 in detail

Although based on significant elements of two existing vehicles, the e-NV200 is a bespoke vehicle with a unique part count of more than 30 percent.

Differences between the-NV200 and NV200 include striking visual changes, a re-engineered chassis, interior revisions, a new battery pack, a higher capacity regenerative braking system and other modifications to ensure e-NV200 is better suited to its likely role as a city-based delivery vehicle for cargo and people.

The most obvious visual difference is the adoption of Nissan’s EV ‘face’, familiar from the LEAF. The central charging doors and unique blue-tinted LED headlights give a modern look and distinct identity from its ICE sibling.

Blue-tinted arrow-like positioning lamps sit within new, crescent-shaped, headlamps that incorporate a distinctive ice blue light colour. LED bulbs are used in the rear lights of all versions as well as at the front on passenger models. The ‘electric’ blue theme extends to the e-NV200’s badging.

Inside there’s a new instrument panel with a digital read out, while the gear selector has a simplified look and feel – shifting like a conventional automatic rather than the computer-style joystick of Leaf.

Digital information includes clear and easy-to-assimilate displays for vehicle speed, state of charge and vehicle range while a power meter shows the state of motor output / regeneration. The instrument panel is completed by a multi-function display that provides other time, distance and speed information.

Mechanically, the e-NV200 owes much to the Leaf like the independent front suspension by MacPherson strut, the drivetrain, including its recently introduced second-generation 80kW AC synchronous motor, which is now fully integrated with the battery charger and inverter in one compact, self-contained unit.

There are some significant changes though. Most notable is the Lithium-ion battery which has been changed to allow it to fit under the e-NV200’s floor without compromising cargo space. The new pack, which is built at Nissan’s plant in Sunderland, UK, and assembled in Barcelona, has the same number of modules – 48 – as in the Leaf and the same 24kWh capacity, but is packaged differently.

The battery module is set low in the vehicle under the load floor and is mounted in a reinforced zone for extra safety protection in the event of an impact. The battery mounting assembly also helps boost the torsional and lateral stiffness of the vehicle by 20 percent and 35 percent respectively over the NV200.

Another drivetrain change over the Leaf  is determined by the e-NV200’s likely usage pattern is a new braking system with a higher regenerative capacity. This takes advantage of the vehicle’s typical stop/start city driving modes, while Hill Start Assist is fitted as standard, holding the vehicle for two seconds after the footbrake is released to allow smooth starting.