
The Nissan e-NV200 40 kwh is not the world's best electric car, but currently the most usable small van in terms of range. We have spent a cold winter day with it.
First in Norway
Currently, the selection of small electric vans is not very large. The old ones are still the oldest, - Renault Kangoo and Nissan e-NV200 were the first. Later came the Citroen Berlingo. At the moment, the Nissan with a 40 kwh battery seems to be "most usable" in terms of size and range. Soon, the Peugeot Partner, Citroen Berlingo and Opel Combo will come with a new drivetrain, probably based on the PSA group's 50 kwh batteries. Electric vans from China have started to roll on Norwegian roads. The BYD T3 looks exactly like the Nissan e-NV200 and has a 50 kwh battery. The Maxus e-Delivery 3 is a larger van with a 52,5 kWh battery. Maxus is used by Posten and Bring, among others.

Nissan e-NV200 on winter roads
There are several electric vans for rent in Oslo, but few with an OK range. Fortunately, I found an e-NV200 40 kwh from Bislet Bilutleie. When I stood a little later on Grünerløkka in front of a snow-covered van in minus 7 degrees, I got cold feet. I imagined a cold car, windows that rimmed from the inside and dead batteries. But the fear was totally unfounded. Fully charged battery and spontaneous hot air directly on the windows, heat in the seats and on the steering wheel. Just to go! The small streets were icy in places. I noticed that the car let go quite easily on the front wheels. It can certainly be attributed to the tires being two years old.
Easy to maneuver
I don't think there is any van that is easier to drive than the Nissan e-NV200. It is ideal for narrow city streets. Not too wide and with a super turning radius. Easy on the steering. As easy to maneuver as an electric forklift. You sit a little higher than in other vans. When I was behind other small vans like the Peugeot Partner and Volkswagen Caddy, my field of vision was over the roof of them. The good overview makes it easy to find your way around the city.

On the road
At speed, you can hear a faint whine from the electric motor - a kind of tram noise. - Doors closing! zzzz… The sound is in no way annoying, only charming. The engine delivers enough power, even with a 280 kg load – but the e-NV200 does not invite you to test the limits. I know of a place where there is a big bump in the middle of a corner where it is possible to test the chassis at good speed. There are no vans that like this point on the road. With a rigid rear axle and rear leaf springs, the Nissan is no exception. It is easy to lose traction here.
Good for the back
I sat right into the seat without adjusting it. There aren't that many setting options, either. I adjusted the steering wheel to the lowest position. I think people with shorter arms than me would want the steering wheel even lower - or less horizontal (smaller bus steering wheel). The seating comfort in vans is rarely suitable for tall people like me. But according to the conditions, I sat perfectly fine with good side support for my back. Nice to have a rested back before going out to work.
The hold
The load compartment measures 200 x 150 x 136 cm. Between the wheel arches there is 122 cm. From the outside, the e-NV200 would look nicer with bigger wheels. But the positive thing is that the wheel arches don't steal so much space in the load compartment. It also takes 4,2 cubic meters of cargo. If you need to transport long items, you can take them on the roof - maximum 100 kg. You can get a trailer hitch as well, but only pull 450 kg. Max payload is 569 kg.

Filled to the ceiling
This autumn I have had several renovation projects. Like all kind craftsmen, I take packaging, coat and leftovers with me. I store that in my mekkebua. It is not unusual for people to come in when they need tools or have problems with their car. This time the job consisted of driving at the filling station. Finished sorted, loaded compactly according to all the rules of the art, I filled to the last centimeter before going to the ISI recycling station. This time there was more work than driving. On the way home I stopped by Biltema in Rud and bought two new storage shelves. I have room for them now that I have driven away all the scrap.
Battery pack
The powertrain is one of Norway's most proven. The electric motor is the same as in the Leaf 1 and the battery pack is Nissan's 40 kwh - the same as found in the new Leaf. Nissan's battery solution has received some criticism due to a lack of active temperature management of the batteries. Optimum operating temperature is important for the batteries to perform - and charge - maximally under all conditions. The batteries in the e-NV200 do not have active temperature control either, but a fan to cool the surrounding electronics during charging and a heater to prevent the batteries from freezing to pieces in extreme cold.
Range
The range is 200 km WLTP. Nissan.no has chosen to inform about "WLTP urban" as well. Such range figures are not relevant and only help to mislead people. If you want to compare with other models, only the WLTP (combined) range applies. My consumption would have given 170 km before the batteries were completely empty. I am quite satisfied with that under the prevailing driving conditions, even if the vans cannot yet compete with the best electric cars on the market.
charging
The Nissan e-NV200 can be quickly charged at ChaDeMo chargers. The car receives a maximum of 50 Kw. In practice, you rarely get more from fast chargers. Most give less, depending on several factors, including how many people charge at the same station at the same time. Nissan states that you should be able to quickly charge from a battery warning (approx. 10%) to 80% in between 40-60 minutes. I left the car to charge on its own wall charger with a Type2 cable for 90 minutes. According to the electricity supplier, the car then received only 6,6 Kw - limited by knowing not the charging source. The charging time from battery warning (10%) to 100% is stated as 7 hours and 30 minutes. My charging was in line with this. Most people will probably benefit from using their own wall charger for the e-NV200, where you can fully charge it overnight.

Electric car
The first impression is intuitive. New drivers can just get in, press Start, put the car in Drive and drive away. There is nothing that lights up "advanced electric car" where someone has created a completely new user interface (kick to Tesla). As an owner, you can connect to the NissanConnect EV app and remotely control charging and heating, etc. The only thing you really don't need in 2021 is Nissan's "ECO" button that throttles the gas so you think there's something wrong with the car. Anyone who wants to can drive economically without help - and set the indoor climate themselves for comfort or energy saving.
Since the e-NV200 is based on the Leaf 1, Nissan's "e-Pedal" solution is not available either. By tilting the gear lever to the right, you can activate/deactivate the artificial engine brake. There is a gentle brake that adds extra charge to the battery when driving down long hills.
Subsidy for vans
It has never been more profitable to drive an electric van. If you buy a new electric commercial vehicle, you can now apply for a climate discount from ENOVA's Zero Emission Fund. Please note that the scheme does not apply to private individuals. Company cars bought with a subsidy cannot be resold to private individuals before 12 months. Let the car salesperson fill in the application when you sign the contract. You then report the registration number to ENOVA after you have collected the car. You will receive the grant in your account within 5-7 days. The scheme applies to all electric cars with green plates. For the Nissan e-NV200, the rates are currently:
Comfort plus: Price 307 – Support: 480
Premium: Price 327 – Support: 480
Facts Nissan e-NV200
Weights and Measures
External dimensions - L, W, H: 450 x 176 x 186 cm
Cargo space - L, W, H: 200 x 150 (122*) x 136 cm
* between the wheel arches
Wheelbase: 273 cm
Net weight: 1539 kg (without driver)
Number of seats: 2
Max trailer weight: 450 kg
Roof load: 100 kg
Drivetrain
Battery pack: AESC (China) 40 Kwh
Engine: Electric, located at the front
Power: 109 HP
Torque: 254 Nm
Gearbox: Stepless.
Front wheel drive.
Performances
Top speed: 123 km/h
0-100: 14,0 seconds
Range
WLTP: 200 km (combined)
Tires
Dimension: 185/65R15
Type: Spikeless winter used 2 seasons
Brand: Continental Viking Contact 7
About the car
Place of production: Barcelona, Spain
Owner: Bislet Car Rental
Rented via the app Rent
Model: 2018 (no. 191 new series)
Mileage: 26068
Km driven: 65
Source: Nissan.no, Enova og InsideEEVs.com - 2014 article

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