Nissan e-NV Electric Minivan Gets Driven (in the UK)

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has made news in the past with his big talk about selling over 1.5 million EVs by 2020. So far, though, only the Nissan Leaf EV has appeared in the US (arguably Nissan's most important market), and the only larger EV option offered by Nissan anywhere has been the 5-passenger e-NV electric van. Those 5-passenger electric cars are great, of course, but until manufacturers roll out 7-passenger electric people movers large, budget-conscious families are likely to steer clear of EVs.

At least, that's the thinking behind Nissan's latest creation: a 7-passenger, 100% electric minivan that puts taxi drivers, shuttle services, and growing families directly in its electric cross hairs.

Originally launched back in March, the new 7-passenger e-NV electric minivan is the same size as the old 5-passenger model, meaning that room in the rearmost seats is hardly palatial. Still, it's got enough legroom on offer for young children (the rearmost seats' likeliest occupants) and those seats can be folded over and forward to make a surprising amount of room for stuff, if the press pictures are to be believed.

It's important to note, however, that those seats don't fold flat. AutoExpress lays it out, advising that potential owners shouldn't "expect the seats to cleverly fold into the floor like those you'd find in a car-based MPV such as the … Ford Galaxy. As it's a remodeled van there's a completely flat floor and the seats are latched to it. Should you need to carry just five people and have extra space for luggage, the two rearmost seats fold up and can be strapped to the sides." To drive their opinion about the setup home, AE adds, "It's hardly elegant."

You can read AutoExpress' full review of Nissan's electric minivan- and check out the high-resolution photo gallery- using the source link at the bottom of the page. I've included a few of my favorite pics, below, as well. Enjoy!

Nissan e-NV Electric Minivan

Source | Photos: AutoExpress UK.

Tags: 7 passenger, Carlos Ghosn, electric minivan, electric van, EV, EVs, minivan, Nissan, nissan e-nv, taxi, van, vans

About the Author

Jo Borrás I've been involved in motorsports and tuning since 1997, and write for a number of blogs in the Important Media network. You can find me on Twitter, Skype (jo.borras) or Google+.

Source: Nissan e-NV Electric Minivan Gets Driven (in the UK)