Businesses running vans in London’s expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone could reduce the cost of switching to a Nissan Townstar EV by a significant £12,000.
A number of grants and incentive payments are available for companies which are removing older, more polluting vehicles from their fleets and acquiring new zero-emission models such as the all-electric Townstar, which represents great value for money even without any discounts.
What’s more, the avoidance of the £12.50 daily ULEZ charge would mean a further saving of more than £3,000 a year for a business running a Townstar EV from Monday to Friday.
Naturally, all-electric examples of the award-winning Townstar qualify for charge-free access to the ULEZ, which was enlarged on August 29. And the help available to companies looking to transition their fleets to cleaner, greener choices is generous.
The Mayor of London’s scrappage scheme supports eligible sole traders, small businesses, micro businesses and charities which are scrapping or retrofitting vehicles that don’t meet ULEZ emissions standards. Companies can apply for a grant payment of £9,500 to scrap a van and replace it with an electric one.
Also available to organisations acquiring electric versions of Townstar is the Plug-in Van Grant (PiVG). Administered by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), the largest sum currently available for any electric Townstar variant is £2,500. EV charging installation grants are also available via OZEV.
Nissan has seen a huge increase in the levels of interest shown in Townstar in recent weeks. Its recent arrival on the market could hardly have been better timed with the London ULEZ expansion.
And the manufacturer’s Van Centres have good availability of the clever and capable LCV, which was named ‘Compact High Cube Van of the Year’ at the 2023 Great British Fleet Awards.
The successor to the hugely successful e-NV200 brings a suite of 20+ technologies to the compact van segment and features a broad range of safety systems and advanced driver assistance features, putting it at the forefront of its category.
When it comes to carrying capabilities, Townstar L1 provides up to 3.3 cubic metres of load space, accommodating two Euro pallets. Whilst the L2, with its extended wheelbase, provides a generous 4.3 cubic metres complemented by a wide-opening side loading door of 831mm, class-leading in its segment. In addition, the maximum braked towing capacity is 1,500kg for all van versions.
Townstar also demonstrates Nissan’s commitment to providing quality and reassurance, with owners across the manufacturer’s LCV range benefiting from an industry-leading, pan-European five-year or 100,000-mile warranty which includes roadside assistance for the duration. This is in addition to the eight-year or 100,000-mile battery warranty for the EV version.
The Townstar EV boasts a cutting-edge electric powertrain that has been optimised with intelligent energy management and battery thermal cooling technology.
This advanced system delivers a class-leading zero-emission range of up to 183 miles WLTP Combined (or up to 269 miles on the City Cycle), making it one of the most capable and versatile commercial vehicles on the market. The Townstar EV’s 45kWh battery offers both AC charging (11kW or 22kW) or 80kW DC CCS quick-charging, the latter of which enables users to charge the battery from 15% to 80% in as little as 37 minutes.
Allan Newman, LCV Product Section Manager at Nissan GB, said: ‘‘Wherever you are in the UK, Townstar EV represents great value for money. And the financial help linked to the expansion of the London ULEZ makes it an even more compelling proposition in the capital.
‘‘Townstar is a fantastic vehicle. Compact and capable, it is ideally suited to life within the Ultra Low Emission Zone and makes an ideal choice for any business.’’
For more on the Nissan Townstar EV, visit Small Electric Van | Nissan Townstar | Nissan.
