Nissan’s all-new Townstar EV electrifies the CV Show

CC&V: Nissan was at the CV Show for the first time in a while. What made you decide to come along this year?

Allan Newman: This year the CV Show provided the perfect platform to launch our all-new electric van, the Nissan Townstar EV, and demonstrate our refreshed All-Star LCV range as well.

As with the CV Show itself, the theme in 2023 was about the transition to the electric vans (‘Commercial Vehicle Show 2023 to showcase net zero ambition with next generation trucks and vans’), and we thought we had a perfect answer in our all-new Townstar EV.

That enabled us to connect and engage with the attendees while sharing how Nissan can support their evolving transportation needs.

CC&V: Your new small van, the Townstar, is here, offered with an electric powertrain as the Townstar EV. What percentage of Townstar sales in the UK are likely to be electric and do you already have any electric sales that you can tell us about?

Our focus is to provide the right product at the right time to our customers while considering policy and the regulatory environment.

As a company we are committed to electrification, so our focus will be the sales of the Townstar EV version, with over 90% of the Townstar volumes.

In terms of sales, we are not aiming for a specific target, as we have shifted our company culture from chasing volumes to delivering value to customer, as reiterated in Nissan NEXT transformation plan. Nevertheless, the Townstar EV is the heir of our successful e-NV200, a vehicle which sold up to 10k units in its life and up to 2.4k units in a single year.

Our aim is to empower our customer journeys through exciting human technologies and exhilarating products.

CC&V: Interestingly, on the Townstar, you aren’t offering a diesel engine, just a turbo petrol version.

What made you decide to go petrolelectric only, and do you think that diesel customers not yet ready for electric can be persuaded to switch to a petrol drivetrain?

As we support our customers in the transition to electric mobility, we continue to carefully consider their daily usage requirements, offering a range of efficient and dependable powertrains that meet their needs. For the all-new Townstar, the portfolio of fully electric and petrol powertrains is optimised primarily for urban usage. The diesel powertrains featured with Interstar and Primastar offer solutions for drivers whose focus is on longer journeys.

CC&V: The Nissan network has a number Fleet & Business Centre specialists. How are they able to help small businesses when choosing their next commercial vehicle and are they also set up to offer CV customers after sales and van servicing, too?

Our Dealer Fleet Programme has just been reinvigorated in the form of specialist Van Centres. This new approach encompasses a holistic approach to both sales, aftersales and servicing. Each of our Van Centres will have a dedicated sales specialist whose primary focus will be to develop customer relationships with their local SME businesses.

Each Van Centre will be working towards delivering a specific set of standards to ensure their customer base receives a class leading customer experience.

CC&V: Your larger Primastar and Interstar were also at the show. How are these model’s performing, sales wise?

A: Despite the well-known challenges around the supply shortages of semiconductors and raw materials, both

Primastar and Interstar have performed extremely well in a turbulent and volatile situation. Primastar has shown the most growth in terms of sales, +147% year on year, on fiscal year basis. While Interstar has also shown a strong sales growth year on year, +60%. This is a good reflection of genuine customer confidence in our products and supply conditions starting to normalise.

CC&V: Finally, many of our readers are looking for a van conversion, rather than just a panel van. What kind of conversions does Nissan offer and are they available on all of your CV range?

A: Our customers can choose from ready-made Nissan Conversions or more bespoke conversions from one of Nissan’s certified specialist body builders.

From the factory, the Interstar is available with a Dropside, Tipper or Box body and thanks to the low and robust chassis, the Interstar is the ideal basis for a wide range of bespoke conversions either with the chassis or platform cab.