The 2011 Nissan NV commercial van will be offered in standard and tall configurations and, eventually, with battery drive.
Nissan rolled out its new commercial van at the National Truck Equipment Association’s annual Work Truck Show in St. Louis, this week, and is also suggesting the small van will be among the first electric vehicles to follow the Nissan Leaf sedan into the market.
Before the work truck show, Nissan North America Vice President of Commercial Vehicles Joe Castelli said the company is determined to expand its presence in the commercial market. Nissan’s commercial vans already are sold in 75% of the world’s markets, including Japan, China, Mexico, Europe, South America, Australia and the Middle East. Other manufacturers including Daimler AG, Chrysler, General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. have or are promising to step up their activity in the commercial vehicle segment over the next couple of years.
The new NV, however, is only one of the commercial vehicles Nissan is planning to sell in the US. A small van will also be introduced in the US next year and, after that, an all-electric version of the small van will come to the US market, Nissan officials said.
The new full-size van, which was shown in St. Louis, comes in two versions — standard and tall. It capitalizes on Nissan’s experience around the world. The tall version comes with a cargo box that is 76 inches tall and the standard 4-foot-by-4-foot by 4-foot cube-shaped palate slips easily into either the tall or standard-size cargo box, Nissan officials said.
Nissan is betting commercial buyers want upgraded interiors among other things.
The new van, which will go on sale toward the end of 2010, will compete with vehicles such as Sprinter. from Daimler AG, and the traditional full-size vans from General Motors and Ford, Castelli said.
“The NV is just the beginning. It’s the base for a broad lineup and we can do it from the ground up,” Castelli said.
The target market for the vans includes entrepreneurs and owner/operators, who depend on the vehicles for their livelihood and are looking for more comfort and more versatility.
Castelli said owners of cargo vans or panel trucks really haven’t gotten to enjoy the benefits for the revolution in automotive technology. They want more comfortable interiors, better suspensions and drivetrain improvements –which he noted are now standard in other segments.
Van owners and drivers also wanted an interior that could be used as an office on the road, said Castelli.
“This is one of the most heavily researched vehicles in Nissan’s history,” he added, giving the development team an excellent look at what potential customers expect from their van.
Cristi Brown, senior manager of light commercial vehicles, said the new NV commercial van is built on a boxed frame similar to the one used for the Titan. The van is designed specifically for modification and comes with standard features such as a fold-flat passenger seat so it can carry a 10-foot length of pipe, lighting in the rear cargo box, storage area and multiple cup holders, she said, adding that the driver seat is designed to resist wear and tear.
Last year, Nissan first showed off a Commercial Vehicle Concept vehicle, the NV2500, which got great reviews from people attending the NTEA truck show held in Chicago.
The first of Nissan’s new commercial vehicles for North America will be built at its manufacturing facility in Canton, Miss. Construction started last year on a $118 million expansion of the plant to permit the handling of vehicles like NV.
The principal changes to the plant include an expansion of the paint booth so the tall van can be painted at the plant, according to Shelly Smith, manager of light commercial vehicles.