Autoblog

Nissan announces production of funky e-NV200 electric van

Autoblog Staff — Thu, 24 May 2012 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Plants/Manufacturing, Nissan, Electric

There are two directions automakers can go to produce a vehicle with electric propulsion - be it a hybrid or an outright EV: make it look the same as any other car, or make it stand out. Like Toyota (for example) did with the Prius, Nissan made the Leaf look (for better or worse) unlike a conventional sedan. But while Toyota answered the call for more space with the equally "distinctive" Prius V, Nissan has gone a different route in producing a bigger brother for the Leaf.

That route is called the e-NV200, pictured above in concept form. And while the nose, unique shade of blue and electric powertrain are conceptually borrowed from the Leaf, the rest is nearly identical to the existing NV200 van that is being rolled out in New York as the city's new taxi of choice.

Nissan has just announced the production of the e-NV200, set to start next year at the same plant in Barcelona, Spain, as the conventionally-powered NV200. As a result, Nissan will hire 700 more workers at the plant and invest some €100 million (U.S. $126 million at today's exchange rates). Details like projected cost and annual capacity are not to be found in the press release below, but Nissan does say the electric van will be built starting some time in fiscal year 2013, which we take to mean before the end of March 2014.

Continue reading Nissan announces production of funky e-NV200 electric van

Nissan announces production of funky e-NV200 electric van originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 May 2012 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York City rolls out new apple green Boro Taxi fleet

Noah Joseph — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Work

Yellow cabs are synonymous with New York. It doesn't matter if it's an old Ford Crown Victoria, an even older Checker Cab or the new Nissan NV200: paint it that deep yellow and put a dome light on it, and you're looking at a New York taxicab. But the Big Apple is about to get a new type of taxi, painted a different color altogether.

We're talking about the new Boro Taxi which the city's Taxi & Limousine Commission has just launched. Targeted at New York's outer boroughs - Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island (as well as Northern Manhattan) - the Boro Taxis can take just about any vehicle you'd expect to see in yellow (including the NV200), painted a bright shade of "apple green" (that looks like matte lime to our eyes) and put them on the streets of the outer boroughs exclusively where it's notoriously difficult to hail a cab.

The color was apparently chosen to stand out from existing vehicles on New York City roads, including private automobiles (because who would paint their own car that color?), police and emergency vehicles and traditional yellow cabs. The first 6,000 of the 18,000 permits will be issued by the commission starting in June. So the next time you're looking to hail a ride in New York anywhere but Manhattan, look for this shade of green and raise your hand.

Continue reading New York City rolls out new apple green Boro Taxi fleet

New York City rolls out new apple green Boro Taxi fleet originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 May 2012 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Nissan NV200 goes after Transit Connect's lunch money

Zach Bowman — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:39:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Minivan/Van, Work, Nissan

Nissan is expanding the company's commercial offerings with its new NV200 Compact Cargo Van. On display at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, the NV200 is positioned just below Nissan's mammoth NV Cargo, and should offer buyers a more efficient work vehicle with plenty of interior room.

The NV200 is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a CVT gearbox. Despite its pint-sized powertrain, the van should be able to haul around 1,500 pounds, and its low floor will likely make for easy loading and unloading.

At 186.2 inches long, the NV200 is a full 54.2 inches shorter than its bigger brother while offering 123 cubic feet of cargo area, though Nissan says the NV200 can still accommodate a standard 40x48-inch pallet.

The company hasn't released any pricing details, beyond saying the NV200 will be competitive with other commercial vehicles in this segment. That probably means the 2013 NV200 will land somewhere in the neighborhood of $22,035, which is the MSRP of the Ford Transit Connect.

Continue reading 2013 Nissan NV200 goes after Transit Connect's lunch money

2013 Nissan NV200 goes after Transit Connect's lunch money originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan planning retail NV200 model to combat Ford Transit Connect

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Work, Nissan

While getting our first in-person look at the 2012 Nissan NV3500 passenger van today, Nissan's Vice President of Commercial and Fleet Vehicles, Joe Castelli, informed Autoblog that there's plenty more news to come from the automaker's nascent commercial vehicle line in the very near future.

Obviously, the major news surrounding Nissan's commercial business was the recent announcement that its NV200 van has been selected to be the next-generation New York City taxi - big shoes to fill now that the Ford Crown Victoria has finally ceased production. To build on the momentum of the NV200 taxi here in the States, Castelli tells us that Nissan plans to offer a retail version to fill out its commercial vehicle line. Consider it Nissan's answer to the Ford Transit Connect.

The NV200 is already sold in other markets (the European version is pictured above) and Castelli says that while some modifications will need to be made before it enters the U.S. market, it's something Nissan is willing to take on. After all, the NV is already being repurposed for taxi duty, so transforming it into a work-ready small van should be a piece of cake. Let's just hope it has a quicker start out of the gate than Nissan's full-size NV line, which has struggled to find early sales traction here in North America.

Nissan planning retail NV200 model to combat Ford Transit Connect originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan shows New Yorkers the inside of its new taxi

Noah Joseph — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Nissan, Misc. Auto Shows, Specialty

If you lined up all the taxis in New York, they'd stretch all the way from Wall Street to Norwalk, Connecticut. They shuttle some 236 million passengers around the city every year - about 600,000 every day - and in the process, they travel the equivalent of 20,000 times around the world every year. Those are staggering numbers, to be sure, so when the city's taxi and limousine department put out the tender for its "Taxi of Tomorrow," it was an ambitious - and important - project.

Nissan's NV200 bid ended up getting the contract (although other manufacturers have since gained approval as well. We've already seen what the van-based shuttler will look like from the curb, but a taxi cab certainly isn't about exterior styling. Like a certain Arabian beggar in a Disney movie, it's what's inside that counts. And that's just what Nissan is demonstrating with a special exposition in New York.

Opening tomorrow on the pedestrian plaza across from the iconic Flatiron Building at Broadway and Fifth, Nissan's Taxi of Tomorrow Design Expo will showcase the full interior of the NV200 Taxi. The cab is accessed via sliding doors (for easier ingress and egress in the city's tight spaces), a panorama roof to let tourists enjoy the upwards view (real New Yorkers, of course, never look up), a flat floor, a large cargo area for luggage, USB charging outlet, easily cleanable surfaces and an air-filtration and climate-control system independent of the driver's.

Sounds to us like a nice place in which to cruise around the city, at least while all that stuff is still in working order. But don't take our word for it: check out the high-res images in the gallery for a closer look - including a nifty infographic on taxi usage in the city - and the details in the press release after the jump. Or if you're in the area, stop by the expo from Tuesday through Saturday of this week.

Continue reading Nissan shows New Yorkers the inside of its new taxi

Nissan shows New Yorkers the inside of its new taxi originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Non-hybrid Altima and Impala also approved as NYC taxis, but not for long

Zach Bowman — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Work, Chevrolet, Nissan

The New York Taxi and Limousine Commission has approved the Nissan Altima and Chevrolet Impala, which join the Ford Transit Connect, on the list of vehicles approved as interim taxi cabs for the Big Apple. According to USA Today, New York cab companies are permitted to purchase those models for fleet duty until the Nissan NV200 "Taxi of Tomorrow" goes on sale. The NV200 beat out competitive designs from Ford and the Turkish Karsan V1 to earn the taxi commission's nod, though the Nissan isn't set to be available until 2013 at the earliest.

In the meantime, cab companies are going to need vehicles to replace their aging fleets of Ford Crown Victoria sedans. That's where the new models come in. Once incorporated into cab company stables, they can remain until they retire, even past the 2013 arrival of the NV200. Once that date arrives, however, the Nissan Van will be the official vehicle of the New York taxi service.

Click past the break for an official press release from Nissan.

Continue reading Non-hybrid Altima and Impala also approved as NYC taxis, but not for long

Non-hybrid Altima and Impala also approved as NYC taxis, but not for long originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan releases official sketch of NV200-based electric commercial vehicle

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Nissan, Electric

Nissan Light Commercial Electric Vehicle sketch - Click above to enlarge

Nissan has electricity on the brain. The Japanese automaker is readying its opening salvo in the alternative propulsion wars in the form of its electric Leaf compact hatchback. Carlos Ghosn, though, announced at the Tokyo Motor Show that there would be plenty more to come, including an unnamed Infiniti model, something like the unique leaning Land Glider concept and an electric version of the NV200 light commercial van that debuted at the Geneva Motor Show.

Naturally, there needs to be some sort of differentiation between the standard-fare NV200 and its battery-powered sibling, and Nissan has just released the first official sketch of that new electric commercial vehicle. As you can see from the above image, the vehicle will take plenty of inspiration from the Leaf, including its steeply-raked windshield, flowing headlamps, front-located plug receptacle and general bottom-feeder shape.

No real details besides the sketch have so far been provided, but you're more than welcome to click past the break to read the sparsely-worded press release.

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan releases official sketch of NV200-based electric commercial vehicle

Nissan releases official sketch of NV200-based electric commercial vehicle originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan NV200 Vanette rolls out for sale carrying new images, info

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Japan, Work, Nissan

Click above for a high-res image gallery of the Nissan NV200

Last month, Nissan unveiled the production compact NV200 minivan (Nissan still refers to the vehicle as a Vanette, seriously) at the Geneva Motor Show, and today, the Japanese automaker has officially announced that sales have begun. The first deliveries in Japan, which is the first market getting access to the van, will happen in mid-May.

Nissan will offer two separate styles of NV200, one for commercial use, called DX, and one to haul people and their belongings called the Wagon 16S. Both machines use the same exterior sheetmetal, featuring an oddly arrayed set of character lines that break up the slab-sided and top-heavy proportions dictated by the van's shape.

Differences between the two models are most apparent inside. The Wagon model offers seating for seven, while the DX can swallow 4.1 cubic meters (145 cubic feet) of stuff. We'd be surprised if the NV200 didn't make it to the U.S. market within the next few years, as Nissan has made it clear that it has global aspirations for this vehicle. Check out our galleries below and see the official press release after the break.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Nissan NV200

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan NV200 Vanette rolls out for sale carrying new images, info

Nissan NV200 Vanette rolls out for sale carrying new images, info originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2009: Nissan NV200 gets its tippy on

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:20:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Geneva Motor Show, Nissan

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Nissan NV200

Nissan unwrapped the production version of its new NV200 compact van here at the Geneva Motor Show after first showing a concept version of it back in 2007 at the Tokyo Motor Show. The basic shape and a lot of the body surface details actually survived the transition from concept to production form intact, although some were obviously subdued. Most notable among those are the wheel arches and the wheels they contain. The small wheels on the production version give the compact van a more top-heavy appearance than the concept. Viewed from the front, the narrow width to height ratio exaggerates this effect even further.

Under hood Nissan is offering a lineup of 1.5 and 1.6L gas and diesel engines to drive the front wheels. When used for cargo rather than carrying up to seven passengers, the NV200 can swallow up to 145 cubic feet and 1,700 lbs. When Nissan showed its NV2500 concept for its new U.S.-built light commercial vehicle back in December, it also showed the NV200 concept, which suggests that the NV200 will be sold in the U.S. as a competitor to the Ford Transit Connect as Nissan moves into the LCV segment.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Nissan NV200

Continue reading Geneva 2009: Nissan NV200 gets its tippy on

Geneva 2009: Nissan NV200 gets its tippy on originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva Preview: First official pics and details of Nissan NV200 van

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Geneva Motor Show, Work, Nissan

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Nissan NV200

Nissan recently announced that it would officially debut its new NV200 MPV next week at the Geneva Motor Show, and today we've been blessed with a new set of official images and a few more details to share. Three different styles will be offered, including a passenger van, a cargo van and, sitting somewhere in between, a combi.

Based on Nissan's B Platform shared with the Cube, Micra and various Renaults and Dacias, the NV200 is driven by the front wheels and offers the buyer a choice of either a 1.6-liter gasoline engine with 108 horsepower, or a 1.5-liter diesel engine with 86 hp and, more importantly, nearly 150 lb-ft of torque. Unlike most vans that feature removable seats, the NV200's second row of seats will fold forward against the front seatbacks and the rearmost row will split and fold to either side.

When all the seats are properly stowed, the NV200 will accept 4.1 cubic meters (145 cubic feet) of whatever it is you need to carry. For comparison purposes, the Ford Transit Connect offers about 3.5 cubic meters (124 cubic feet), though a proper comparison will need to be made after the NV's actually go on sale. Expect the NV200 to hit the Japanese market before summer, followed by a European introduction this fall. Other markets will follow, but there's no word yet if the new MPV will make it to the U.S. Make sure to check out the gallery below and the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Nissan NV200

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Geneva Preview: First official pics and details of Nissan NV200 van

Geneva Preview: First official pics and details of Nissan NV200 van originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan confirms Qazana concept, production NV200 for Geneva

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Minivan/Van, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Crossover, Nissan

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Nissan NV200 concept

Nissan's plans for the Geneva Motor Show include the debut of the Qazana concept crossover and the production debut of the NV200 people mover.

According to Nissan's official release, the Qazana (not Qazan, as previously reported) is a small, five-door CUV that will "challenge conventional wisdom" in the segment. Nissan hasn't released a teaser of the Qazana, instead describing the crossover as a low-slung hatch with large wheelarches and suicide doors. If the Qazana reaches production, expect it to slot in below the Murano and Qashqai in markets outside the U.S.

The production version of the NV200, originally seen in concept form at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, will also bow in Geneva, and will feature three rows to accommodate seating for seven, along with sliding side doors and a flexible interior to fit all the detritus a European family on the move can manage. Van and Combi versions will be offered further down the line, but Nissan hasn't announced when the NV200 will go on sale or if the mini-minivan will make it to the States. Hit the jump for the press release and look for the live in just over a month.

Gallery: Nissan NV200 Concept

Continue reading Nissan confirms Qazana concept, production NV200 for Geneva

Nissan confirms Qazana concept, production NV200 for Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan to release range of commercial vehicles in U.S. in 2010

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:27:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Work, Nissan

Click above for high-res shots of the Nissan NV200 concept

Nissan will be putting a full-court press on the small commercial vehicle market beginning in 2010, according to Joe Castelli, Nissan North America's vice president for light commercial vehicles and fleet. Specifically, the automaker will attack the smaller end of the market where the Ford E-Series vans and Super Duty trucks currently dominate.

Starting with the recently-unveiled NV2500 commercial van, Nissan will branch out to include at least one smaller urban transit vehicle, which will likely draw inspiration from the NV200 concept and do battle with Ford's upcoming Transit Connect. That van might be based on the same platform as the upcoming Cube scheduled to hit U.S. shores in 2009.

About one-third of Nissan's U.S. dealerships are planning to carry the new line of vehicles. It would be impossible to enter this market without a solid supply of diesel engines, so Nissan is believed to have contracted with Cummins for oil-burners, a convenient relationship now that the Japanese automaker has allied itself with Dodge.

Gallery: Nissan NV200 Concept

Gallery: Nissan NV2500 Concept

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Nissan to release range of commercial vehicles in U.S. in 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan likely to dump Quest, Armada and Infiniti QX56

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, Work, Nissan, Rumormill

Click above for a high-res image gallery of the Nissan NV2500

In what seems like a foregone conclusion to us, intraweb rumors suggest that Nissan is strongly considering dumping its Quest minivan and Armada full-size SUV along with Infiniti's version of the behemoth 'ute, the QX56. The NV2500 light commercial vehicle will take the place of the Titan pickup at Nissan's plant in Canton, Mississippi, so, putting together the trail of crumbs, it's easy to speculate that Nissan is merely getting ready to phase-out the Titan truck and its platform-mates in preparation for a new Ram-based pickup from Dodge. Although the Quest doesn't share the same underpinnings, it has consistently been an under-performing nameplate when sales figures are tallied up, so its loss from the lineup won't be terribly missed.

Considering the sorry state of affairs that full-size sport utility vehicles see themselves in, we wouldn't bet on any Ram-based replacement for the Armada and QX56 either. If a minivan replacement ever rears its head in the U.S. from Nissan, it would likely have much more in common with the NV200 concept from the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show than the current Quest, minus the sweet sliding guts, naturally.

Gallery: Nissan NV2500 Concept

[Source: Motor Trend]

Nissan likely to dump Quest, Armada and Infiniti QX56 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan unveils NV2500 light commercial vehicle concept

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Truck, Nissan

Click above for a high-res image gallery of the Nissan NV2500

Today at the Nissan Technical Center in Farmington Hills, MI, Nissan revealed its new NV2500 concept commercial van. The NV2500 is a preview of its upcoming light commercial vehicle that will debut in 2010. The NV2500 will be taking the place of the Titan pickup at the company's Canton, MS assembly plant and take Nissan into a new market segment in North America. Nissan's Communications VP Alan Buddendeck explained that the automaker competes in the commercial vehicle market around the world and wants to round that out with North America.

The NV2500 concept shows just one of many possible configurations of the vehicle. The concept and the production vehicle are based on a modified version of the current Titan F-Alpha chassis. Nissan will be partnering with Cummins to provide diesel engines for the new vehicles and ZF for the automatic transmissions. In the first three years of production, Nissan plans to introduce thee different vehicles off this platform.

In addition to the big NV2500, Nissan also showed the NV200 concept that appeared at last year's Tokyo show. The NV200 is similar in concept to Ford's upcoming Transit Connect and is built on Nissan's compact B-platform. There currently aren't any production plans for the NV200, but it is a possibility.

Gallery: Nissan NV2500 Concept

Gallery: Nissan NV200 Concept

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan unveils NV2500 light commercial vehicle concept

Nissan unveils NV2500 light commercial vehicle concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tokyo 2007 Preview: Nissan NV200 concept

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 04:45:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Minivan/Van, Tokyo Motor Show, Crossover, Nissan, Lifestyle

Click the image above for 20 high-res pics of the Nissan NV200.

We've finally found the ideal mobile Autoblog HQ. The NV200 is aimed at small business professionals that are constantly on the move, and although the boxy, panel van exterior doesn't do much for the eyes, it's what's on the inside that counts.

The interior is a rolling job site, with everything from equipment-specific storage to a full computer workstation. This particular model is supposedly built for a professional oceanic photographer, with all the gear and toys necessary to make that hard existence livable.

We want one now, and we're taking donations. Before you start rummaging through your seat cushions to help the cause, check out Nissan's press release after the jump and our high-res gallery below.

Gallery: Nissan NV200 Concept

Continue reading Tokyo 2007 Preview: Nissan NV200 concept

Tokyo 2007 Preview: Nissan NV200 concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Oct 2007 04:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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