It’s funny how times change.
Only ten years ago, an electric car would have been seen as something of an oddity;
people would stop in the street, stare and take pictures on their rubbish 1 megapixel
Nokias.
Now, well, electric cars have almost become a bit blasé.
For something that used to be seen as something straight from the Jetsons, now they’re kind
of everywhere.
Still, while electric cars mightn’t cause the same fuss as they once did, an electric
van on the other hand…
This is Nissan’s e-NV200, an all-electric van in the same vein as its best-selling LEAF
hatchback.
In fact, it uses a modified version of the same powertrain as the LEAF, but with all
the practicality of a much larger vehicle.
Despite its high-tech motor, don’t expect too much from the interior; this is still
a van after all, with a robust but somewhat drab appearance and scratchy plastic panels.
That said, the gloss black centre console certainly looks smart, while a simple control
layout makes things easy to use.
Two trim levels are available, Acenta and Tekna, with this model getting entry-level
models getting sat-nav, Bluetooth and a rear-view camera as standard, in addition to climate
control, heated seats and a heated steering wheel.
The sat-nav in particular, which it shares with the LEAF, is a highlight, with a bright
display that’s easy to use and concentric circles that show the van’s range.
It’s just a slight shame that the interior has more in common with the NV200 van than
the LEAF hatchback.
Three versions of the e-NV200 are available, with a choice of either panel van, five-seater
combi or this, a seven-seater version that comes complete with two full-sized seats in
the back.
Like the front, it’s spacious with plenty of leg and headroom, and comfort is decent
if at the expense of some luxury.
If you’d rather, though, you can fold away all of the second and third row seats, which
transforms the rear into a thoroughly impressive 2,940-litre load space.
Like the regular NV200 on which it’s based, six load lashing points on the floor come
as standard, while there’s enough room in the rear to swallow two Europallets.
You will have to choose between seats and space, however, as the seats in the rear are
non-removable, while both the Ford Transit Connect and Fiat Doblo Cargo have higher payload
capacities, albeit without the electric powertrain.
One of the best things about driving an electric vehicle
is the instant jet of torque that you get when you put your foot down.
This one generates 245Nm of the stuff, which is more than enough to nip around the city,
while the single gear means stop-start traffic is a breeze.
Top speed officially clocks in at around 76mph, but the range will suffer at higher speeds.
It can be reduced to 60mph when you select Eco mode to improve the range, though this
does also cut throttle response fairly significantly.
All the same, thanks in part to the placement of the battery pack under the floor, the e-NV200
also feels a lot better to drive than its regular counterpart, with a balance and light
steering that makes it quite nimble.
Of course, it’s no performance car and particularly when trying to get up to motorway speeds it
can feel like it’s starting to run out of puff past 50mph or so.
There’s also a fair bit of body roll in the corners, but in honesty, if any van could
be called entertaining to drive, it would be this one.
In reality though, nobody’s going to be buying an electric van for its performance.
The main benefit is of course running costs, and Nissan claims it can run on as little
as 2p per mile.
With zero emissions courtesy of the electric powertrain, the e-NV200 is tax free and also
exempt from the London Congestion Charge, though the 106-mile range could be a worry
for drivers who regularly travel long distances.
Full charge can be achieved in eight hours with a standard charger or four with a higher-capacity
charge point, while a rapid charger is also available which can boost battery life to
80 per cent in just half an hour.
Compared with its most direct rival, the Renault Kangoo ZE, it can be a lot cheaper, with prices
for the van itself starting from £13,567 when taking the government’s Plug-In Car
Grant into consideration, along with Nissan’s battery leasing scheme.
If you’d rather, you can also purchase both the van and battery outright for £16,373,
around £100 less than the entry-level Kangoo.
While it’s unlikely to appeal to tradespeople or families who regularly need to travel long
distances, if you stick within a local area, the e-NV200 can offer seriously impressive
running costs, with plenty of space and practicality to boot.
There are other options which will offer more space, more luxury and more equipment, but
aside from the obvious cost incentives, you can be sure that there’s nothing else quite
like this.