It’s no wonder this gleaming CrestClean all-electric van is turning heads in Tauranga.
With its bright graphics, depicting “Lovin’ our ZERO EMISSION vehicle”, the Nissan e-NV200 was unmissable to visitors arriving at the city’s Bayfair Shopping Centre.
Its owner, Tauranga franchisee Jon Moon, is not only switched on to the energy saving benefits of the all-electric vehicle, he’s finding the van’s presence is a talking point around the city. And that must be good for business!
The vehicle, which has a range of 120km, looked dazzling as it was being topped up at the electric vehicle fast-charger station in the shopping centre’s carpark.
A number of passers-by stopped to admire the vehicle, the first of its type in CrestClean’s vehicle fleet. “Well that’s great publicity for that company. It’s a very smart looking vehicle,” commented one Bayfair shopper.
Charging the e-NV200 is simplicity in itself. It can be plugged in at home, just the same way you charge your phone. And when you’re out on the road, you can plug into one of the rapid chargers installed in many public areas, which provide up to 80 percent charge in just 30 minutes.
Nissan warranties the e-NV200’s battery for five years or 96,000km. It guarantees against it dropping below nine of the 12 battery level bars, the van’s equivalent of a fuel gauge.
With a 109hp electric motor providing an instant 254Nm of torque, the van’s performance is actually quite brisk (it accelerates faster than a conventional, diesel-powered NV200).
The biggest upside is being able to drive a van that is whisper quiet, smooth and effortless in traffic. With no roaring diesel engine and no manual gearbox requiring endless shifts to stay on the torque curve, the e-NV200 makes light work of heavy traffic.
The e-NV200 has a cargo capacity of 4.2 cubic metres and can carry up to 770Kg. This vehicle does not skimp on extras. It has all the bells and whistles, from heated seats and steering wheel to hands-free calling and text messaging and Bluetooth streaming audio.
The e-NV200 is a thrifty beast. Cost of electricity to drive 100km can be as little as $2.50.
And a trip to the dealer for a service won’t burn a hole in your pocket. There’s no replacement of oil or oil filters, air filters, spark plugs, cam belt, no engine adjustments or checks to do, and best of all, there’s no road user charges!
Even the brake pads wear slower as the motor does about half of the braking, while regenerating power into the battery.
The e-NV200 was the best-selling electric van in Europe in 2016. Electric vehicles have 80 percent fewer C02 emissions and can dramatically reduce your environmental impact while being a great point of difference.
That’s why EVs are becoming a branding tool in themselves, not to mention a talking point with the public!
- Prices for a two-year-old e-NV200 van start about $21,000
