Nissan tests e-NV200 electric commercial vehicle in Portland market

Updated Jun 22, 2014
Nissan e-NV200
Nissan e-NV200 (Photo: Business Wire)

Portland, Ore., already a top breeding ground for electric vehicle sales, is now the proving ground for Nissan’s prototype electric commercial vehicle, the Nissan e-NV200.

Nissan is working in collaboration with Portland General Electric on a six-week trial to help determine the viability of an electric commercial vehicle in the U.S. market. PGE has assigned the e-NV200 into its fleet of vehicles with an underground crew, replacing a larger, diesel-powered van.

“Oregon has been a top five market for Nissan LEAF sales in the U.S. due to proactive policies at the state level to encourage EV adoption, as well as robust charging infrastructure championed by the state and others like PGE,” says Toby Perry, Nissan’s director of EV Marketing in the U.S. “If we determine that e-NV200 fits into the U.S. commercial vehicle market, we expect that Portland would be a leading driver for sales as well.”

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This year, Nissan is deploying two e-NV200 prototypes with companies such as PGE and FedEx in top U.S. EV markets including California, Georgia, Oregon and Washington, D.C., to determine how businesses could use an all-electric cargo van to meet their day-to-day requirements.

Companies replacing gas-powered vehicles with electric vehicles like e-NV200 could enjoy a substantial reduction in operating costs and vehicle maintenance, while lowering their vehicle emissions footprint, just like owners of the all-electric LEAF, according to Nissan.

“EVs have already demonstrated their value as a sustainable choice for personal use, and fleet electrification is the logical next step,” says Charlie Allcock, director, business development at PGE. “We’re excited to see firsthand the impact the e-NV200 can have on our own fleet and to help other companies understand the potential it represents for them.”

Nissan e-NV200 goes on sale this summer in Europe and later this year in Japan.