Electric vans make their debut
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By George Barrow
ELECTRIC VANS continue to gain momentum as four new zeroemission vehicles made their debut at the show. There were new models from Nissan and Mercedes-Benz and a collaborative effort from PSA Peugeot Citroën with new electric Partner and Berlingo models.
The PSA models use a 49kW (67hp) motor producing 200NM of torque linked to 22kWh battery packs that have been created in cooperation with Mitsubishi. Electric Partner and Berlingo models are said to have a 170km range (105 miles) on the European (NEDC) cycle from a 5.5hour, 16A charge, or a 30 minute recharge using a 125A fast charge system. They take their base from the conventional panel van, and will support two wheelbase lengths of 4.38m and 4.63m, with a maximum load capacity of 4.1m3, and a gross payload of 675kg.
Prices will be announced nearer the launch date in March 2013, but Peugeot said it will align its pricing closely to that of its rivals – namely the Kangoo ZE – and customers can buy or lease the battery.
Mercedes unveiled a new electric Sprinter van prototype. Shown as a chassis cab to display the on-board technology, the Mercedes’ Sprinter E-Cell uses a medium wheelbase model to create a vehicle with a 70kW motor delivering 220Nm of torque from 93 battery cells with a capacity of 35.2kWh. The 3.5-tonne GVW van has a limited top speed of 50mph, but payload is said to be up to 1,200kg.
Nissan’s long expected utilisation of its Leaf electric car technology in a commercial vehicle came to fruition with the unveiling of the e-NV200 concept. Sporting a FedEx livery, due to the close links established during a testing programme that has seen electric prototypes in operation in Japan, Singapore, Brazil and the US, Nissan powered an electric chainsaw, using the van’s on-board batteries, to cut into a block of ice. Production will begin in 2013, with the battery pack set to be produced in Sunderland. Power comes from a 80kW synchronous motor, generating 280Nm of torque.