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Driving Report Nissan Interstar: The Electric Vehicle Simply Drives Better

In terms of comfort, performance, efficiency, and emissions, the BEV leaves the diesel with no chance in the direct comparison of the new large Nissan van. However, you first have to make up the price gap of 13,000 euros. Both offer a five-year warranty, while the BEV has an eight-year warranty on the battery.

Sustainable: The electric drive impresses not only in the city but also on country roads and, thanks to the 130 kW charger, even on medium or long distances. | Photo: Nissan
Sustainable: The electric drive impresses not only in the city but also on country roads and, thanks to the 130 kW charger, even on medium or long distances. | Photo: Nissan
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von Johannes Reichel

In the end, it's like with many other manufacturers with electric and diesel as alternatives: If it were only about driving characteristics, even with the new Nissan Interstar, the technical twin of the Renault Master, the BEV would clearly be the first choice. It hums so quietly, almost inaudibly with the 105-kW synchronous front motor, accelerates so seamlessly and swiftly, but with moderate 300 Nm torque, not too abruptly and thus tire-friendly, and is (locally) emission-free anyway. However, it tops out at 120 km/h on the motorway, which is reasonable despite the sleek and 20 percent improved aerodynamics, if you don't want to drive consumption over the 30-kWh/100 km mark.

The budget electric vehicle with a small battery could suit KEP

Those who need more and belong to the “Nachexpress” faction cannot bypass the diesel: It rushes potently up to 180 km/h. Then, consumption has to be of little concern. With the BEV speed limit, one can manage the short 40-kilometer round with 26 kWh/100 km with a high BAB share, the 21.5 kWh/100 km factory specification should be quite achievable in the city and out of town. And so it could also work with the 460-kilometer range that the manufacturer formally and maximally states for the larger battery version with an 87-kWh underfloor storage. Many KEP services will prefer the budget option with a 40-kWh battery, which is supposed to offer 200 kilometers and comes in significantly cheaper, estimated to be about 5,000 euros less.

Even in Eco mode, where performance is then limited, the economy mode can be "overridden" via kickdown. Then the system also overrides the Eco limit of 90 km/h. In fact, smooth driving is already achieved with the normal mode solely with the accelerator pedal. In the B mode, engaged via the somewhat awkward driving mode lever, the motor then recuperates even more firmly as a generator, almost completely eliminating the need for auxiliary braking. Unfortunately, not down to a standstill, at which point it's essential to timely get your foot onto the brake pedal.

Anachronism: Turning the "Ignition Key"

It's strange that the electric variant still needs to be started by turning an "ignition key," and the "handbrake" as a mechanical solution doesn't really fit the otherwise modern image. This is something the Interstar shares with its conventional brother, likely saving a few euros but in the wrong place, we feel. For that, the 87-kWh version comes with the practically relevant 22-kW AC charger as standard, along with the 130-kW DC unit, which supplies the electric vehicle with a range of 252 kilometers in half an hour. Charging from ten to 100 percent takes only four hours at 22 kW, which is more battery-friendly than DC operation.

The diesel counterpart in its 150-hp version appears, aside from the "equal footing" with handbrake and key, uncomfortable and outdated in direct comparison. The coupling (with the rather imprecise clutch) and stirring (at the rather imprecisely guided knob) is something one has almost forgotten. And the newly developed diesel, cleaned to Euro 6e with great effort using a dual SCR catalytic converter (20-liter AdBlue tank), oxidation catalyst, and diesel particulate filter, might run quietly and smoothly on its own, yet it simply can't match the comfort of the synchronous electric machine.

The Diesel Takes Time to Get Up to Speed

Especially not its performance: Typically, there's first the famous Rudolf Diesel memorial second before the turbocharger builds up enough pressure. Then it moves forward quite briskly, albeit with moderate but distinctly audible growling. Under partial load, you let the elastic engine with its 380 Nm work nicely from below – and don't hear too much, except discreet rumbling. Nevertheless: A complete workday with countless gear changes is far more exhausting than in the BEV.

And far more emission-rich: The 8.4 l/100 km that we achieved on the country highway drive would likely tend significantly toward the 10-liter mark in urban settings, unlike the BEV, which would correspond to about 100 kWh/100 km in energy equivalent, just to clarify the efficiency comparison. And while it's possible to reach the factory consumption of 7.4 l/100 km, it requires a very restrained use of the accelerator. At least: 1.5 liters less than its predecessor.

Particulate Filter on Short Trips: Not a Good Combination

A co-rider, who traveled for a test drive from a Rhine-based roofing company, points out another factor: Diesel particulate filters often get clogged with a high share of short trips, which is annoying and costly in terms of time and money. Advantage BEV in this regard. However, when it comes to towing capacity, the diesel must quite literally "pull" ahead: With two tons, you can hang 500 kilos less. For CEP services, this is less of a factor, but for roofers, it's certainly an important aspect. Even then, 2,500 kilos is rather too little – and a pickup with 3,500 kilos is a trump card.

High Comfort, Good Payload

Otherwise, the Interstars are identical as BEV or ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) like one egg resembles another: The driving comfort is high in both cases, perhaps the BEV feels even more solid on the road, which is no surprise with its "standard ballast" on board. The suspension is comfortable, the rolling noise is quiet, and the wind noise is well suppressed, which is particularly noticeable in the BEV due to the absence of the combustion engine noise source. The brakes also respond rather softly but grip very powerfully if necessary. The steering is smooth, though it could offer a bit more road contact. More importantly, the turning circle measures 12.8 meters, which is 1.2 meters smaller than in the rather unwieldy predecessor.

Of course, the cargo area is equally usable "on both sides" – and has been significantly improved: A wider sliding door (1.31 m), more loading length (up to 3.85 m in L3), nicely deep entry, solid processing, and numerous derivatives and expansions in the Nissan range, from the 10.8 cubic standard van to the 22 cubic meter box version from the factory, and also the expansion to 4-ton front-wheel drive (1.5 t payload as BEV, 1.9 t as diesel) and 4.5-ton rear-wheel drive.

Spacious and Comfortable Interior

The interior, like in the Master, has become significantly higher quality and more homely, more practical anyway with the 135 liters of storage. The seats are no longer overly soft, but comfortably firm, the fabrics are skin-friendly and robust, and the visibility from the driver's seat to the imposing, independently designed "Nissan North Face" is good. The optional digital instrument cluster is somewhat murky, and the infotainment is not state-of-the-art, but manageable, especially if you already use Apple Carplay or Android Auto, although via cable. Naturally, there is also a digital rearview mirror, but the analog mirrors are also well made and leave hardly any questions or angles unanswered.

Driver assistance at Level 2 doesn't even need special mention, although traffic sign recognition in Google Maps works more precisely than the often erring camera-native-nav-mixture, which annoys with constant beeping. Active lane assistance, emergency braking with pedestrian detection, distance cruise control, all-around camera—all that is also included (as options) in the Interstar's good manners and functions properly after a short familiarization period.

Five-Year Warranty - and Eight Years on the Battery

Equality naturally prevails also in the warranty with which Nissan seeks to differentiate itself from the Alliance siblings from France: 5 years is standard, up to 160,000 kilometers. And for the BEV, eight years warranty is granted on the battery, also up to 160,000 kilometers. Which brings us to the final question, the price: a difference of 15,000 euros separates the higher-mandated N-Connecta equipment for the BEV from the diesel Interstar 6-speed manual, and it's 13,000 in the case of the 9-speed ZF automatic version, which should be considered more fairly. 53,380 euros net for the BEV is certainly confident, but no longer as utopianly expensive as BEVs were just a few years ago. Here and there, there's a maintenance interval of two years or every 30,000 kilometers, not a highlight here.

E-Drive is Ready for the Market

The E-drive is ready for the market, says Nissan Europe's LCV product chief Andrew Limbert. "A lot of money," some will say now. Or little, if you spread it over the TCO and calculate it over several years while taking into account lower energy and service costs, the manufacturer says. And when using self-generated power, it becomes a different situation again. Not to mention the fact that with the BEV you are future-proof in terms of potential entry regulations. To deliver or not to deliver, that is the question here. Which sets up a completely different economic calculation.

Translated automatically from German.
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