Nissan starts building its new electric van in Barcelona to be sold worldwide

Barcelona (ACN).- The Japanese car manufacturer started production of its new e-NV200 van, the electric version of the existing NV200, on Monday. The new model will be Nissan’s first van to be 100% electric. The vehicle will be exclusively built in the company’s plant located in Barcelona’s Zona Franca industrial district, which is very close to the city’s sea port, one of Europe’s main gateways for imports and exports. The production of the new e-NV200 has meant the creation of 700 new jobs, according to Nissan’s Vice President for Industrial Operations, Frank Torres. 20,000 units will be assembled each year initially. The Catalan plant was awarded the job to build the new vehicle for the global market after a long selection process in which it surpassed other European Nissan plants after trade unions accepted new working conditions to improve competitiveness. Furthermore, Barcelona’s City Council reached an agreement with the car manufacturer to promote the use of this van among the Catalan capital’s taxi fleet and distributors operating in Mercabarna, the city’s wholesale market. A ceremony celebrated the production’s kick off, which was attended by the President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, the Spanish Industry Minister, José Manuel Soria, the Mayor of Barcelona, Xavier Trias, and Nissan’s Executive Vice President, Andy Palmer.

Nissan is starting to produce its brand new e-NV200, which will be distrubted worldwide from Barcelona. The car manufacturer highlights the improved functionality of the new vehicle, as well as its performance. According to the Japanese company, the new van combines the best output of the gas NV200 with the electric Nissan LEAF.

One of the elements they underline most is how users will save money, since maintenance costs are 40% less than those of a conventional van and running costs are four times lower, according to Nissan. The new van costs 2.5 euros per 100 kilometres to run. Regarding the battery’s autonomy, the new e-NV200 can cover 170 kilometres without the need to recharge. However, the real autonomy will also depend on the weight of the goods transported and the type of road. In order to charge the van, the customer will be able to use conventional domestic plugs as well as car plugs set up in public spaces.

The new e-NV200 will be available in 3 models: a van, a mixed vehicle and a third model to transport passengers, which has been specially designed to be used as a cab. For the van model, the load capacity is 4.2 cubic metres and 750 kilos. This is the same performance as the combustion engine model, which was named vehicle of the year in 2010.

700 new jobs created in Greater Barcelona

Frank Torres, Nissan CEO in Spain, stated on Monday that the new vehicle is “a first step” on the way to renewing the company’s products that are built at Barcelona Zona Franca plant. Before the end of the year, Nissan aims to start building a new electric saloon car at the Catalan plant and, in 2015, a pickup model. According to Torres, the new van “positions us in the future. The plant is ready and we are optimistic in the face of any challenge”, he said. The new sedan will be exclusively built in Barcelona and will be distributed throughout Europe. The pickup will be sold in Europe, South-America and the Middle East.

This planning shows that Barcelona’s is “one of the group’s most competitive plants”, underlined Torres. All the efforts undertaken until now by the Catalan plant’s staff “now have their reward”. Torres was referring to the salary reduction and modification of job conditions, particularly for the new employees, that trade unions and Nissan negotiated and agreed upon in 2012 in order to compete to get new vehicle assignments. According to the company’s CEO in Spain, when the 3 new car models will be in production in 2015, more than a thousand new jobs will have been created. Torres stressed that the new electric van alone has created 700 new jobs, combining direct and indirect ones.

Taxis in Barcelona

On Monday, in the Zona Franca factory, representatives from Nissan and Catalan and Spanish authorities welcomed the kick off of the new electric van’s production. The ceremony was attended by the President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, the Spanish Industry Minister, José Manuel Soria, the Mayor of Barcelona, Xavier Trias, and Nissan’s Executive Vice President, Andy Palmer, among others. Both Mas and Trias emphasised that they will be working to promote this new vehicle as “the taxi of Barcelona”.

Trias also explained that the e-NV200 van might be used for transporting goods to and from Mercabarna, the Catalan capital’s wholesale market. “We are very interested in ensuring that goods distribution in Barcelona is done in the cleanest possible way”, stated Trias. The use of electric vans “is a strategy in favour of sustainability”, he added. “We are excited about Barcelona taking the leadership” of Nissan’s new products and promoting the use of electric vehicles, stated Palmer.

The Catalan President gave the final speech and he thanked Nissan for having chosen Catalonia to build its new electric vehicle. “I am convinced that Nissan chose Barcelona because the city is a good factory and because Barcelona is an excellent brand, recognised worldwide”, Mas added. According to him, Barcelona is one of the top “geographic brands” at world level, just as Nissan is within the automotive industry.