The e-NV200 new model will be based on the existing NV200 currently produced at the plant and will be an important and innovative addition to Nissan’s global range of light commercial vehicles (LCV’s).

e-NV200 will become Nissan’s second all-electric vehicle following the launch of the Nissan LEAF in 2010, underlining Nissan’s long-term commitment to zero emission mobility.

The new model, which represents EUR100 million investment by Nissan in Spain, is expected to create around 700 new jobs at the plant and throughout its local supplier base.

As the sole producer of e-NV200, Barcelona will supply world markets highlighting the growing competitiveness of Nissan’s Spanish industrial operations. Last week a new medium duty truck was allocated to Nissan’s Avila Plant in central Spain.

e-NV200 will provide both businesses and families with functional and roomy interior space and will retain the host of innovative and practical features of the current NV200 line up combined with the most advanced powertrain components of the Nissan LEAF.

This will deliver a driving range similar to the Nissan LEAF on a single charge and similar performance, together with best in class running and maintenance costs.

Nissan;s e-NV200 electric van was revealed as an e-NV200 concept at the Detroit Motor Show in January. The e-NV200 shares its major drivetrain components with the innovative Nissan LEAF. Silent, zero emission power is supplied by a lithium-ion battery composed of 48 compact modules and a high-response 80kW AC synchronous motor that generates 280Nm of torque. Unlike a conventional internal combustion engine, the motor delivers 100% of its torque from start with immediate response bringing excellent acceleration and smooth, comfortable driving feel.

e-NV200 will also make a significant contribution to Nissan’s aim of becoming the world’s largest LCV manufacturer by 2016 as a key pillar of the Nissan Power 88 mid-term plan.

Last year Nissan achieved an historic milestone of selling more than one million LCV’s worldwide in a single year.

The current NV200 line up has already sold around 100,000 units. Its popularity led it to be chosen as the next generation New York City ‘Taxi of Tomorrow’ following a rigorous selection process.

Currently, intensive evaluations of prototype NV200-based electric vehicles are being carried out in Europe. Trials will continue in coming months in order to provide real-world feedback from the most demanding usage. Feedback will help Nissan to fulfill exact customer requirements ahead of the start of production expected in FY13.

Following in the footsteps of Japan Post, FedEx and British Gas, Japanese supermarket operator AEON took delivery of an e-NV200, the all-electric version of Nissan’s popular van.

AEON will use the e-NV200 test cars as delivery vehicles within the Tokyo metropolitan area for their innovative, new online business. The vehicles will be monitored for one month to evaluate their potential for daily business use.

The Nissan e-NV200 electric van, which is likely to be a production version of the LEAF-look alike e-NV200 concept, was revealed at the Detroit Motor Show in January.

The Nissan e-NV200 shares its major drivetrain components with the innovative Nissan LEAF. Silent, zero emission power is supplied by a lithium-ion battery composed of 48 compact modules and a high-response 80kW AC synchronous motor that generates 280Nm of torque. Unlike a conventional internal combustion engine, the motor delivers 100% of its torque from start with immediate response bringing excellent acceleration and smooth, comfortable driving feel.

“Zero emission vehicles will play an increasingly important role in shaping the environment of our cities and towns,” said Nissan Motor Company’s Corporate Vice President Hideto Murakami, head of the Global Light Commercial Vehicle Business Unit. “Electric vehicles will help to raise the quality of our urban environment and their economical running costs should also make them very attractive to businesses. The evaluation results we will get from the AEON Retail testing will assist us in the development of compact EV commercial vehicles. Based on input, the future production version of the e-NV200 will allow us to leverage our investment in electric vehicle technologies, contribute to expanding our EV business globally, and move toward a more sustainable society.

The government support and charging infrastructure have helped the Nissan LEAF become the second best-selling Nissan in Norway and the ninth best-selling passenger car overall in February.

Norway has the highest level of support in Europe for electric vehicle purchases with zero VAT, no new car tax, free parking, exemption from some tolls and the use of bus lanes in Oslo. The existing on-street charging infrastructure in Oslo currently has approximately 3500 public charging points in Oslo, many of them free to use.

Olivier Paturet, General Manager of Zero Emission Strategy at Nissan Europe was delighted to attend the handover, commenting: “We are very happy to see that the ambition of the Norwegian government has matched our own with strong support for the widespread introduction of electric vehicles. The Norwegian package of incentives is unsurpassed and the recharging infrastructure is established and accessible. We can see that Norway is leading the way with its proactive approach to encouraging its citizens to drive electric vehicles. We hope it will continue with the further development and upgrading of the charging infrastructure.”

The 1000th car handover took place on 25 April at 12.30 in front of the Ministry of Environment where the Minister Bård Vegar Solhjell handed over the keys to Nils Haugerud. Also attending was Birger N. Haug the dealer responsible for selling this car and 550 of the 1000 sold so far, making him one of the largest volume LEAF dealers worldwide.

Through the relationship, Nissan has installed and will maintain three Aerovironment Level 2 chargers at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

In San Francisco, at the Music Concourse Garage in Golden Gate Park, Nissan sponsored four Level 2 chargers and an additional eight 120v Level 1 outlets.

The chargers are free to the public and provide convenient charging opportunities in these two high-traffic locations.

Adopt a Charger is a non-profit organization was founded last year to help broaden the electric vehicle charting infrastructure. Adopt a Charger works with other organizations and individuals to donate funds to provide electric vehicle chargers for free to the public.

“Working with Adopt a Charger, we’re providing this community service in an effort to increase electric vehicle acceptance and make ownership more convenient by helping ensure chargers are available in high-traffic areas,” said Jon Brancheau, Vice President – Nissan Marketing.  “Nissan’s commitment to zero emissions goes beyond the LEAF; we want to help transform global societies to adapt zero emissions vehicles as a way to address environmental concerns and promote energy independence.”

According to a UCLA study, Los Angeles will be a leader in the U.S. market for electric vehicles, where nine percent of new vehicles will be electric by 2015. Additionally, as one of the top 100 most attended international museums (according to The Art Newspaper ), LACMA proves to be a great candidate for the chargers, bringing in nearly 1 million visitors annually.

Additionally, San Francisco’s highly-trafficked Music Concourse Garage is a main parking structure used by people near and far as they visit Golden Gate Park, Music Concourse, de Young Museum, California Science Center, and the Japanese Tea Garden.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Nissan and Fleet Forum, Nissan has agreed to lend five Nissan LEAFs to the Fleet Forum member organizations for a year free of charge.

The Fleet Forum will rotate the vehicles among official participants for six months each in order for them to experience the benefits and practicability of a zero-emission vehicle and to encourage them to switch to such vehicles for their environmental fleet management. After 12 months of free loaning, Nissan and Fleet Forum will then review feedback from the participants.

The new EV program aims to give aid and development organizations first-hand experience of the benefits of using electric vehicles as a way of improving efficiency while also reducing costs and minimizing environmental impacts.

Fleet Forum is a collaborative association that includes NGOs, international organizations, the United Nations, academic institutions, donors, and corporate partners and is dedicated to the improvement of transportation performance in road safety, cost efficiency and environmental impact.

Among more than 50 members of Fleet Forum, 5 international aid organizations were selected as official participants and will start in Switzerland, Italy and UK. These organizations are the United Nations World Food Programme; the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent; the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees; Islamic Relief; and the United Nations Logistics Base.

The plans focus on improving the environment for electric vehicles and, during fiscal year 2012, will see the Nissan LEAF sold in more markets, by more dealers, with a radically improved quick charging network.

Market and Dealer Expansion
In 2012, Nissan will radically increase the number of dealers selling the LEAF in Europe, making it accessible to many consumers for the first time. Today the Nissan LEAF is on sale in 14 markets across Europe, with a total of 110 dealers. By the end of March 2013, that will have dramatically increased by almost ten times, with over 1000 dealers actively marketing the Nissan LEAF – all Nissan dealers will be equipped with charging points thus expanding the charging infrastructure for LEAF drivers. By 2013, the Nissan LEAF will be available for sale in 24 European markets.

Customer evaluation vehicles
In advance of this there will be a significant increase in LEAF’s available at dealers with over 700 dealers in Europe offering customers a chance to experience LEAF by the end of April 2012. The scheme will continue to develop during the next 12 months, adding to the number of demonstration and courtesy vehicles available to customers within Europe.

30 Minute Quick Charger Cost Reduction and Deployment
In 2011, Nissan made a significant engineering breakthrough in launching its own quick charger into Europe, which is available at around 50% of the cost of conventional units (below 10,000 Euros). This Direct Current (DC) Quick charger charges the Nissan LEAF, or any other ChadeMo compliant vehicle, to 80% capacity in just 30 minutes.

It is also ‘AC ready’ to support the arrival of EVs from Alliance partner Renault designed to 43kW AC quick charge standards. The Renault-Nissan Alliance is promoting infrastructure deployment based on AC-DC Mix Quick Charger strategy.

The cost reduction radically changes the economics of installing DC Quick charging points at key locations across Europe, and opens up new possibilities for Nissan LEAF owners. To push this network expansion further and jump-start the full scale commercial deployment in 2012 Nissan is giving 400 DC Quick chargers for free to cities and regions in Europe.  These free units will give thousands of customers the opportunity to experience the convenience of charging quickly while significantly expanding the range of their vehicle.

This initiative follows an agreement between Nissan and five of Europe’s leading utility and EV infrastructure supply companies to speed up the provision of the latest quick chargers developed by Nissan. Nissan expects thousands of ChadeMo quick charging points to be installed across Europe by the end of 2012, and tens of thousands of by end of 2015.

Nissan LEAF Marketing Campaign
March 2012 will see an innovative online focussed campaign centred around the Nissan LEAF, 100 days to convert the maximum number of people to 100% electric driving taking the car to a whole new audience and introducing them to its unique benefits. Alongside this online campaign will be a new brand advertising campaign, which will have the Nissan LEAF as the ultimate demonstration of Nissan’s innovation, putting the car on television for the first time in many markets.

Battery Production in the UK
During the first half of 2012 battery production will start at Nissan’s record-breaking Sunderland plant. This important milestone will be the first step towards the European production of the Nissan LEAF. The production of batteries in the UK significantly increases the flexibility of the supply chain and protects it from shifts in exchange rates.

Vehicle Production
All of these actions will lay the foundations for the introduction of the European-built Nissan LEAF at the Sunderland plant in the UK. Building the car in the UK will reduce lead times, increase supply, mitigate currency fluctuations and reduce the carbon footprint of bringing the car to the customer.

“Second Life” for Electric Vehicle Batteries
As the electric vehicle market expands questions are often raised about what happens to batteries after they have been removed from vehicles. Nissan is working with its alliance partner Renault to identify suitable partners for trial of “Second Life” uses for battery packs. Electric vehicle battery packs are expected to be in strong demand for use in the storage of electricity from sustainable sources, where peak production and peak demand are sometimes not aligned. They can also be used for back-up electricity in areas of unreliable grid electricity or for grid load balancing. It is expected that after any second life usage, the batteries would still be recycled due to the intrinsic value and recyclability of the materials used inside. Further details on Nissan’s “Second Life” battery programme will be announced in the next 12 months.

This new launch phase means residents of 21 new states will be able to select and order a 2012 Nissan LEAF. The LEAF, the world’s first and only electric car, now also is the only electric car ever to be available nationwide.

“More than 22,000 LEAFs are on the roads globally, having driven more than 30 million miles,” said Brian Carolin, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing, NNA. “There is no longer any doubt that a 100-percent electric, zero-emissions vehicle fulfills the needs and desires of drivers from around the globe. Nationwide availability of the Nissan LEAF means that now, anyone in the country can opt for a transportation solution that does not harm the environment, provides a pathway to energy independence, and doesn’t use a single drop of gas.”

On March 1, reservation holders in the remaining 21 states will receive emails from Nissan inviting them to engage in the Nissan LEAF ordering process. One week later, anyone living in these new markets will have the opportunity to place a reservation and order a Nissan LEAF.

The 2012 Nissan LEAF costs $2,420 more but will have more standard features then previous model. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the 2012 Nissan LEAF is $35,200 for the SV trim level, and $37,250 for the SL trim level.

Including the $7,500 federal tax credit for which the 2012 Nissan LEAF will be fully eligible, the consumer’s after-tax net value of the vehicle will be $27,700.

Lease payment for the 2012 Nissan LEAF SV goes up $20 to $369 per month for 36 months, while SL lease goes up $30 to $409. Lease down payments rise to $2,599 from $1,995.

Deliveries will start taking place in these new markets by summer.

From February, the 2011 World and European Car of The Year will be available for hire bringing the Nissan LEAF to a wider audience.

Although the Nissan LEAF is as easy to drive as a conventional car, every customer hiring a LEAF will be given a face-to-face handover by a Europcar representative who has been fully trained on the car and its workings.

For Londoners, this will be a particularly important development as Mayor, Boris Johnson, aims to make London the electric car capital of Europe.

In order to make hiring the LEAF even simpler for customers, Europcar will recharge it completely free of charge, even waiving the standard service fee usually made for vehicle refuelling.

Customers can call a Nissan Hotline with any queries they might have about the vehicle, plus, at the end of the hire every customer will be surveyed by Europcar with feedback used to help shape future generations of Nissan electric vehicles.

The pilot scheme, which will initially run for three months, forms a Definitive Agreement between the two companies, and follows a Memorandum of Understanding in which both organisations undertook to investigate ways of jointly promoting the concept of emission-free motoring.

Success of this scheme could potentially see it widened to other cities in France and Great Britain, as well as other countries in Europe.

The maker of the first mass-marketed, 100% electric vehicle — the Nissan LEAF — now employs an eco vessel nicknamed “Roro” — for roll-on and roll-off pick-ups and deliveries.

At one-and-a-half football fields in length, the carrier took four years to complete and began its maiden voyage January 27.

The red-white-and-blue Nichioh Maru’s green secret is its energy-saving, electronically -controlled diesel engine, with 281 solar panels fitted to the carrier’s deck.

It employs LED lighting in the ship’s hold and living quarters, and its hull is painted with the latest low friction coating, among other energy-efficient features onboard.

“As Nissan went to the effort to launch the Nissan LEAF at that time, in terms of the logistical flow, we thought there would be a way for us to contribute using state-of-the-art technologies,” said Tomohiko Uchiyama, president of Nitto Kaiun Corporation, Roro’s operator.

Compared to an existing car carrier of the same type, this ship can achieve a fuel reduction of up to nearly 1,400 tons annually, which converts to an annual reduction of 4,200 tons of CO2 emissions.

The Nichioh Maru follows in the sustainability wake of the City of St. Petersburg eco-carrier, which Nissan began using in 2010 for international routes in Europe.

The Nissan Green Program 2016 aims to use more renewable energy and have an industry-leading, small carbon footprint.

Each roundtrip uses roughly 13 tons fewer fuel, for a reduction in CO2 emissions of 18% compared with a standard vessel.

The purpose is to evaluate and test the residential and commercial applications of energy storage systems or back-up power sources using lithium-ion battery packs reclaimed from electric vehicles after use.

Energy storage systems can store power from the grid during times of low usage and feed that electricity back into the grid during periods of peak demand, increasing grid performance and providing back-up power during outages.

The team plans to develop a LEAF battery storage prototype with a capacity of at least 50 kilowatt hours (kWh), enough to supply 30 average homes with electricity for one hour.

Electric vehicle batteries, such as those that power the Nissan LEAF, have longer lives than those of personal computers or cell phones, with up to 70 percent capacity remaining after 10 years of use in an automotive application. This longevity allows them to be used beyond the lifetime of the vehicle for applications such as a smart-grid community energy management system or battery energy storage.

Innovative energy storage solutions are expected to become a key component of the smart grid, contributing to greater efficiency, reliability and performance. They will facilitate further integration of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, into the grid. The evaluation of Nissan batteries, through the partnership, will help determine their suitability for the power industry as a cost-effective energy storage solution.

“This agreement will allow us to evaluate the commercial viability of a grid storage solution and develop a prototype to effectively reuse Nissan LEAF batteries,” said Bruno Melles, head of ABB’s Medium Voltage power products business, a part of the company’s Power Products division. “We look forward to working with our partners to take electric vehicle battery energy storage technology a step further.”