14 DAY TRIAL // This past May 5, Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer Nissan went public with the news that it had begun production of the e-NV200, i.e. the company's second all-electric vehicle.
On its website, the automaker details that the e-NV200 is to be produced at the Nissan plant in Barcelona, and that it is from this location that the car will be exported to various regions across the world starting this year's June.
By the looks of it, the Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer has until now set its eyes on about 20 international markets, Japan included. However, it plans to focus on several other markets in the near future.
“Barcelona has the honor of producing Nissan's second 100 percent electric vehicle, and this is a result of many years of hard work and quality improvements from the team here,” Frank Torres with Nissan Spain Industrial Operations said.
“This will be only the second time we have produced a model in Spain for export back to Nissan's home market in Japan, and that is a fantastic achievement by my colleagues at the plant,” he added.
Interestingly enough, it appears that the production of the e-NV200 as the Nissan plant in Barcelona alone is the result of a €100 million (approximately $138.7 million) investment in this facility.
In turn, this sum of money is part and parcel of a €431 million (roughly $598 million) investment that the Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer has recently made in its Spanish operations.
Information made available to the public says that this latest Nissan zero-emission vehicle is to be available in the European market as a passenger vehicle, an electric taxi, and a light commercial van.
The automaker says that, should things go according to plan, the city of Barcelona in Spain will be the world's first urban area to add the e-NV200 to its taxi fleet. However, it is unclear when exactly this will happen.
Talking to the press, Andy Palmer with Nissan explained that, by welcoming such 100% electric taxis, Barcelona would surely experience an improvement in local air quality, and that this would in turn greatly benefit public health and make the city more appealing to tourists.
“This e-NV200 taxi has renewed significance in the wake of record levels of air pollution in London and Paris,” Andy Palmer said in a statement.
Furthermore, “Bringing a significant number of zero emission vehicles to Barcelona's streets will ensure cleaner air for every citizen, visitor and tourist, and we're confident that forward-thinking councils everywhere will be clamoring to bring these benefits to their municipalities in the coming years.”