As the United Kingdom joins other countries in committing to a future ban on fossil-fuel vehicles, commercial fleet operators that rely on diesel vehicles are left in a bit of a pickle.
Nissan has an answer in its zero-emission eNV200 electric cargo van, but its small dimensions leave a lot to be desired for commercial operators that need something a little, errrm, bigger.
Thankfully, a European company specializing in electric van fleet implementations is doing what Nissan hasn't: adding more van to the van.
DON'T MISS: Nissan e-NV200 electric van gets longer-range battery; still no U.S. plans
Voltia is now offering upsized versions of the eNV200 that expand the base van's cargo capacity from 140 cubic feet (4 cubic meters) to up to approximately 280 cubic feet (8 cubic meters).
It's called the Nissan-Voltia eNV200 MAXI and it offers operators up to 87 miles (140 kilometers) of range on a single charge (on the European test cycle), using the same running gear as the stock eNV200.
The conversion, which is similar to other van "upfitter" solutions, adds a higher roof and extends the length of the eNV200 to increase its cargo volume.
Voltia will sell you a complete van for 31,900 EUR ($37,600), which includes the the cost of the e-NV200 base vehicle and retains the full Nissan factory warranty.
Voltia's partner and client, Gnewt Cargo, plans to lease 33 electric vans, with partial funding provided by the UK Department of Transport and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles.
READ MORE: Fuel-cell range extender for Nissan e-NV200 electric taxis announced by Symbio
The total lease cost will be GBP 1.65 million ($2.2 million), of which the government will pay GBP 1.11 million ($1.48 million) to Gnewt. The vehicles will be used for "last-mile logistics."
Voltia is currently taking preorders on an updated version of the van that uses the e-NV200's forthcoming 40-kilowatt-hour battery pack, the same one found in the new 2018 Nissan Leaf.
_______________________________________
