Nissan e-NV200 Electric Van Debut Video — All Electric Zero Emissions Cargo Van

The Nissan NV series of cargo vans has been increasing in popularity since its introduction, and it was already available in a variety of configurations and with different engine options. At the Washington Auto Show, though, Nissan unveiled yet another version of the cargo van lineup, called the Nissan e-NV200. It’s only in prototype form so far, but if testing goes well, Nissan will have a fully electric van joining the model lineup in the near future. Nissan’s planned to test the e-NV200 in 2014 throughout the United States, since it’ll be an important market to the van’s success. Erik Gottfried is the Director of Electric Vehicle Sales and Marketing for Nissan in the United States, and he set aside some time to talk to Autobytel during the e-NV200’s unveiling event. The fully electric drivetrain in the Nissan e-NV200 is derived from the drivetrain that powers the Nissan Leaf electric subcompact passenger car. Electric drivetrains are known for having somewhat bulky components, so in the e-NV200, Nissan mounted the drivetrain below the van’s floor. That way, it won’t compromise any of the crucial cargo space that is a major selling point for vans in the category. Nissan hopes that FedEx, which is Nissan’s first partner in the e-NV200 testing program, will be able to provide some useful real-world insights over the course of the year.