Picture Key 2 1 3 4


1. Leather-trimmed steering wheel is heated


2. Touchscreen operates satellite navigation system


3. Knobs beneath touchscreen control heating, ventilation and air-conditioning


4. Smartphone holder forms part of package


which reacts if its charging capacity drops below 70%.


If that happens then the battery is either repaired or replaced, as appropriate. Service intervals are set at two years/24,000 miles.


white noise the van generates to alert pedestrians and other vulnerable road users to its presence. Tap the transmission lever to the right and you can select from three different levels of regeneration - B1, B2, or B3, the most aggressive - which recapture energy that would otherwise be wasted, and pump it into the battery. Driving Townstar EV predominantly in a rural area we found B1 the most useful, even though it is the mildest. It recoups energy when you descend a hill and take your foot off the accelerator, but without slowing you down unduly. That said, we can certainly appreciate the benefits likely to be delivered by B2 and B3 in an urban setting. While Nissan quotes a WLTP


(Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) combined range of 176 miles for Tekna+ between recharges assuming the battery is fully-charged to begin with, cold weather can reduce the projected range significantly; a concern with every electric van we have encountered. A sudden fall in temperature cut our van’s projected range to 137 miles, even though the battery was charged to the maximum. On the positive side Tekna+ can be


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charged up quickly, with a battery that can get from 15% to 80% in an hour- and-a-half says Nissan. Plug it into a fast charger and it should be able to reach 80% of its charging capacity from 15% to begin with in no more than 37 minutes, Nissan contends.


Those figures apply if you are using public charging points. Plug your van into a 7.3kW domestic wall-box and you should be able to go from 0% to 100% in seven hours.


The Final Verdict Design


Cabin Ride Refinement Load area Handling/performance Engine/transmission Standard equipment Operating costs


If range is a vital consideration then it is perhaps worth noting that the manufacturer quotes a combined range of 182 miles for the less-well-equipped Visia variant.


Operating Townstar EV is protected by a five- year/100,000-mile warranty with roadside assistance provided for the duration. The battery is covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty


The use of long-lasting LEDs in the front fog lights, headlights, daytime running, side indicator and load area lights should help keep maintenance costs down. However the absence of side rubbing strips on the exterior of the van could result in it collecting rather too many scrapes and minor dents.


No spare wheel is provided, alas, in another bid to save weight. You get an inflator/sealer instead; not a lot of help if your tyre suffers really serious damage courtesy of one of the UK’s innumerable deep potholes.


8/10 8/10 8/10


Carefully crafted to appeal to businesses in need of a zero-emission urban/ suburban runabout


A comfortable, well-specified, working environment Smoother than we expected no matter whether we were laden or unladen 7/10 Absence of an engine means that other sources of noise become more intrusive. 7/10 Good access from three sides, but loses out so far as payload is concerned


7/10 Latter is to a high standard, former could be improved by making the steering more responsive


7/10 Battery can be charged up rapidly, but as usual the range falls just as soon as the outside temperature drops


8/10 8/10 What Van? subjective rating 8/10 Lots of useful kit is included in the deal, with an admirable stress on safety A comprehensive warranty should help keep expenditure down A well-thought-out package that includes some intelligent ideas


November 2023 WhatVan?


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