FedEx Express will begin testing Nissan’s e-NV200 electric cargo vehicle under real-world conditions in Washington DC. The companies have conducted similar e-NV200 tests with fleets in Japan, Singapore, the UK and Brazil, but this test will be the e-NV200’s North American debut.

The front-wheel drive e-NV200 has a powertrain based on the LEAF, and the same lithium-ion battery. According to Nissan, it offers the same versatility, functionality and roominess as its gas-powered sibling. The battery has been carefully positioning for maximum cargo space and a low load floor. Nissan plans to begin mass production later this year in Europe.

FedEx Express currently has 167 EVs and 365 hybrids in its worldwide fleet. By May, it plans to have 222 EVs in service. The company will use the results of the DC field tests to determine the viability of using an electric delivery vehicle in the US.

“As a global fleet operator serving 220 countries and territories worldwide, FedEx is committed to improving the efficiency of its vehicles as part of our EarthSmart initiatives,” said Mitch Jackson, FedEx’s VP of Environmental Affairs and Sustainability. “We are pleased to continue our work with Nissan and bring the e-NV200 into test in North America.”

“We’re eager to work with FedEx and other companies to put the e-NV200 through its paces to continue to build awareness of the capability of electric vehicles and to evaluate how well it meets the needs of the commercial consumer,” said Erik Gottfried, Nissan’s Director of EV Sales and Marketing. “We’d also like to explore clever uses of EVs in work environments where carbon emissions of gas-powered vehicles make them impractical or impossible to use.”

Source: Nissan