- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru He Fr
Electric Van of the Year
The NV200 is a 4- or 5-door light commercial vehicle, which has been produced by Nissan since 2009. There are 2-seater cargo, 5-seater cargo-passenger and 7-seater passenger versions. Israeli buyers have a chance to purchase an all-electric version of the car, called the E-NV200. It is equipped with a powertrain similar to the Nissan Leaf electric car, comprising an 80-kilowatt electric motor and 24 kWh batteries. The global sales of this car began in 2013.
The first generation
It has been produced from 2009 to the present, and was restyled in 2017. The company announced its intention to release an international small-class commercial vehicle in 2007. In March 2009, the final version was presented at the Geneva Motor Show. The production version of the electric car appeared in 2014.
The first NV200 was equipped with the MacPherson strut front suspension and a rear leaf-spring suspension. The vehicle has the ventilated disk brakes at the front and the drum brakes at the rear. Depending on the sales market, it was equipped with different engines: a 1.5-liter petrol naturally-aspirated engine for Indonesia, a 1.6-liter petrol engine available in many countries, a 2-liter petrol engine for North America and a 1.5-liter turbo diesel for Europe generating 90 or 110 hp. It was supplemented with a 5- or 6-speed manual transmission, a 4-speed automatic transmission or a CVT.
The electric E-NV200 was powered by a 24 kWh battery: the electric motor and traction battery, along with the front suspension, were borrowed from the first generation Nissan Leaf. According to the standard European NEDC cycle, an electric minivan had a drive range of 170 km, but according to the majority of car owners, in real operation this indicator was one and a half times lower (since 2018, the drive range has been increased to 300 km). The electric car developed a speed of 112 km/h and was capable of transporting up to 770 kg of cargo with a total volume of up to 4.2 cubic meters.
Israeli buyers can purchase an electric E-NV200, which is equipped with an 80-kilowatt electric motor and a 24 kWh battery.
With all the rows of seats folded down (the rear seats folded to the side, the middle ones folded forward), the minivan reached 2,040 mm in length. The cargo version had hinged rear doors, the passenger version had a solid lifting door, and the cargo-passenger version had both types of doors with sliding rear side windows.
Basic equipment included an audio system with CD changer, central locking, Bluetooth, heating and ventilation system, many different compartments and drawers. The list of options included a rear-view camera, power windows, an improved audio system, etc. As for the safety systems, the car had ABS and EBD, an emergency braking assistance system, front airbags, as well as ESP and side airbags provided for an extra charge. The hood of the car was made of a special material that absorbed the impact energy as much as possible for the safety of pedestrians.
2017 restyling
Restyled in 2017, the electric Nissan E-NV200 has acquired a new 40-volt battery, increasing the ‘official’ drive range by 60%, to 280 km. After the restyling, the minivan comes in two versions: Van and Evalia. The first version is intended for commercial operations, while the second one is used for personal purposes. The Evalia has seats (a seven-seater version) and windows, while the Van has a flat floor and no side windows. The load capacity of the car is 742 kilograms. By the way, this is the only 7-seater electric minivan that can be bought in Europe (as of 2020). On February 1, 2019, Nissan announced end of production of the NV200. Thus, only the E-NV200 electric model remained.
In January 2021, Nissan unveiled the E-NV200 Winter Camper electric concept for winter adventures based on the Nissan E-NV200 production van. The car has acquired a special kit that provides maximum comfort and versatility for independent living in the wild. The on-board 220 V power supply can be charged using the solar panels installed on the roof, and the built-in functional kitchen, refrigerator, folding beds and double-glazed windows make life convenient in any conditions. The minivan is equipped with premium off-road tires and has an increased ground clearance. A reinforced steel beam at the front face of the vehicle features dual spotlights for maximum visibility in the dark. There is also an electric camper for traveling with a kitchen and a bedroom based on the E-NV200.
