New Launches
Show Report: CV Show 2012
What a cracking event the 2012 Commercial Vehicle Show turned out to be, thanks in no small part to Ford… Read More
Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Long-Term Test 1
We has just taken delivery of a Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Club Cab for long-term appraisal… Read More
Ford Transit ECOnetic Brief Test
We’ve been putting a SWB 100hp 2.2TDi Euro 5 Transit 280 ECOnetic through its paces… Read More
Renault Kangoo ZE 2011 European Launch
Renault is at the forefront of manufacturers offering a mass produced factory-built electric van… Read More
Fuso Canter 2011 European Launch
Fuso has completely revamped its range of light and heavy truck Canter chassis and chassis crew cabs… Read More
Iveco Daily 2011 European Launch
Iveco has introduced new, latest generation diesels to its Daily range, along with detail changes inside and out… Read More
Ford Transit 2011 European Launch
Ford takes the iconic Transit to the next stage with an all-new range of 2.2-litre Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Volkswagen Crafter 2011 UK Launch
VW’s large panel van has undergone a serious makeover with changes to the front-end styling and the cab interior, as well as new Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Ford Transit Connect Electric Brief Test
We spent a day with the battery-powered Connect to get a better idea of what it’s like to live with in its natural, urban environment. Read More
Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL Brief Test
Currently undergoing trials with selected fleet customers in the UK, we managed to get behind the wheel of a battery-powered Vito E-CELL… Read More
Volkswagen Crafter 2011 European Launch
Volkswagen’s Crafter has undergone a midlife makeover and gets a new front-end along with new Euro 5 engines… Read More
Nissan goes electric at Tokyo Truck Show
Nissan has rolled out three EV concepts based on the Cabstar (Atlas in its home market) at this year’s Tokyo Truck Show, alongside a battery-powered NV200 Combi. The latter van is the basis for the recently announced New York Taxi of Tomorrow (see News Story). Nissan already has an established electric vehicle presence in the UK thanks to the LEAF passenger car and its aim is to expand this expertise into the light commercial vehicle sector. Taking pride of place on the stand is the Cabstar e-NT400 Concept box-bodied light truck which is based on the LEAF’s electric powertrain. It’s reckoned to have a range of around 60 miles and follows in the footsteps of the e-NV200 which will be the first Nissan electric LCV to reach showrooms. It’s scheduled to go on sale in the UK in 2013.
There’s also a Cabstar Refrigerated Van which features a compressor powered by an electric motor, with energy coming from a lithium-ion battery pack. This makes it possible to keep the chilled/freezer compartments operating even when the vehicle engine is switched off.
The third Cabstar concept is a Power Supply Truck. It carries a 72kWh battery array, equivalent to three LEAF battery packs, and is capable of powering a 20-person office space of 250m2 for over four hours.
Nissan’s ultimate aim is to introduce a range of new battery-powered LCVs covering a variety of weight ranges in order to meet the growing needs of its customers. By 2016 it has every intention of becoming the leading LCV manufacturer in the EV sector. “In addition to passenger EVs such as the Nissan LEAF, Nissan will focus efforts on developing and disseminating commercial EVs with the aim of becoming a leader in the field of zero-emissions,” said Hideto Murakami, Nissan corporate vice president responsible for the Global LCV Business Unit.
“We are currently making preparations to release a new EV based on the LCV NV200. At this year's Tokyo Truck Show we are exhibiting vehicles that adapt a diverse range of EV technologies, including an e-NT400 Cabstar Concept that incorporates Nissan LEAF components. We intend to communicate to visitors the value that EV trucks can produce. Through these and the other models on exhibit, I hope that visitors will be able to get a feel for the diverse value that Nissan's commercial vehicles provide to businesses.”
