Nissan NV Cargo Van: Authentic Japanese Commercial Vehicle

Nissan NV commercial vehicles, which had been produced in the USA since 2011, were primarily intended for the North American market. The car shares the F-Alpha platform with the Nissan Armada and Infiniti QX SUVs. 

The NV versions have different wheelbase lengths and roof heights, and numerous modifications with several loading capacities. Driving this van is almost no different from a passenger car—just as convenient and comfortable. If you are considering the Nissan NV as your future commercial auto, this overview will help you find out more about its benefits and distinctive features.

Since its first appearance on the market in 2009, the Nissan NV200 has rapidly gained popularity among brand fans. Already at the start of sales, the model was able to win more than 30% of the market. Initially, the NV van was designed as a passenger car. The Nissan designers did not reach a compromise or consensus in the debate about the final version's appearance. As a result, the NV200 prototype was born.

The Nissan NV200 was first presented to the general public in Geneva. The manufacturer offered two modifications: a family minivan and a van. Looking ahead, Nissan also launched the production of a cargo-passenger version, better known as Combi.

Even though the length of the car is only 173 in, the minivan can accommodate as many as three rows of seats. How did the designers manage to achieve such an impressive result?

• Firstly, the use of front-wheel drive;
• Secondly, the compact rear suspension.

The low floor, the hallmark of the Nissan NV200, provides a fantastic cargo compartment capacity of more than 141 cubic feet. In the Nissan NV200 Combi, the backrests of the second-row seats can be folded in sections or forward. This innovation again provides a significant gain in free space.

The Nissan NV200 van has a hinged cargo door. At the buyer's request, the manufacturer installed side windows. 

The first thing that distinguishes the NV200 minivan is its completely removable seats. You can expand your luggage compartment to gigantic proportions in just a few minutes. 

NV200 is different:

• ideal body clearance;
• the presence of wide side windows, even in commercial, cargo versions;
• soft independent suspension of the front axle mounted on a separate subframe.

But the main feature of the Nissan NV200 is the highly durable leaf spring suspension. The springs are wide, reliable, and made of high-carbon steel. They can withstand numerous alternating loads without consequences. Neither deep holes, high-speed bumps, nor the country roads can damage the suspension even to the extent of routine repairs.

The overall dimensions of the NV200 depend on the year of manufacture and configuration. For example, the first generation car of the M20 modification has dimensions of 173 × 66.7 × 72.8 inches in length, width, and height, respectively, and the Premium GX equipment is already 174 × 66.7 × 73 in.

Nissan NV200 is designed for seven people, including the driver.

The e-NV200 is an electric vehicle designed on the B0 platform. Before installing traction motors, the designers seriously modified the van. The prototype for the location of the power unit was the Nissan Leaf: they borrowed the front suspension, battery layout in the rear part, and electric motor from it. The front of the e-NV200 had to be lengthened, and the width increased by as much as 2.4 in. The floor level has also become lower.

The e-NV200 battery capacity compared to the Nissan Leaf increased from 30 to 40 kWh, while its dimensions remained the same. Due to this, the engineers achieved their goal - significantly increasing the power reserve. According to the manufacturers, the e-NV200 can travel up to 112 miles on one charge.

The history of this project began in 2007 when the New York government began to think about the future of taxis. Every day, 600,000 city residents use its services, so the appearance and characteristics of yellow cars are crucial for the city's image, so they organized the “Taxi of Tomorrow” competition. In 2009, the requirements for participants were determined, and in May 2011, Nissan won the tender with a special modification of the NV200 minivan.

Since 2013, Nissan has had an exclusive contract to supply taxis to New York City.

Key features of the Nissan NV200 Taxi were as follows:

• four seats for passengers and their luggage, providing more space than in current taxis;
• sliding doors with step and handle for easy entry/exit;
• glass roof - overview of skyscrapers;
• opening side windows;
• separate climate control for the rear row;
• carbon filter for air purification;
• illumination for passengers from above (reading) and below (placement of luggage);
• connectors for charging electronic devices (12V and two USB);
• durable, breathable, environmentally friendly, easy-to-clean seat covering made of a material similar to leather;
• flat floor.

In addition, Nissan notes other features of the car: a fuel-efficient 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with a 150 thousand-mile warranty, non-irritating horn, 6-way driver's seat, navigation, reverse camera, and airbags for both rows.

In 2021, Nissan NV and Nissan NV200 light commercial vehicles have been discontinued. The reason was a decrease in sales of these cars. In 2020, 20,022 units of Nissan NV and 18,766 Nissan NV200 were sold. The company's management considered these indicators insufficient. 

Fortunately, you can still purchase a Nissan NV van on the secondary market. 

At Indy Auto Man, we have a rich assortment of commercial vans and trucks for sale. If you want to compare several models, visit our car lot in Indianapolis and buy your ideal vehicle for a successful business. We also offer professional customization services to make any model perfectly suit your goals. Browse the inventory right now!