When New York City recently chose the Nissan NV200 commercial vehicle to be its exclusive taxi beginning in June of 2013, the city’s representatives knew they had picked a versatile and passenger-friendly cab capable of getting the most out of a gallon of gas. But it turns out that they also may be getting one that does without gasoline entirely: After all, Nissan already is working to create an all-electric vehicle based on the NV200
The first step was development of an NV200 EV that is currently in use as a mail truck in Yokohama, with further testing scheduled for later this year in the rest of Japan and Europe. Electric power would be another key benefit for Nissan’s award-winning compact commercial vehicle, currently on sale in some 40 countries around the world. Already, the NV200’s spacious interior, attractive design and notable fuel efficiency have combined to help it earn major global honors that include being named “International Van of the Year” and winning both the “Universal Design Award” and the “Universal Design Consumer’s Favorite Award.”
Here in the U.S., the NV200 will debut in the Big Apple with features like:
- A thrifty 2.0-liter I4 engine
- Plenty of room for up to four passengers and their luggage
- Sliding doors with an entry step and grab handles, for ease of entry/exit
- A durable, antimicrobial seat fabric that is easy to clean and environmentally friendly, with the look and feel of real leather
- A transparent roof that provides breathtaking views of the city
- Front- and rear-seat curtain airbags, as well as seat-mounted airbags for the front row
- Independent rear air conditioning and grape phenol-coated cabin air filter
And now you can add a potential all-electric powertrain to the mix.
“The role that can be played by zero emissions vehicles in promoting a balance between economic growth and environmental protection in the realm of logistics is large,” said Nissan Corporate Vice President Hideto Murakami, responsible for the Global LCV Business Unit. “We will certainly reflect the customer feedback gained from these proving tests in our future product development, and I expect that our commercial electric vehicles based on the NV200 will contribute to our customers’ business and to the development of a sustainable society.”
