On Mar. 8, Nissan Motor Company announced it would loan an e-NV200 electric vehicle to Fukuoka Prefecture for three years free of charge. The company has been loaning its electric cars to municipalities around Japan since last fall in an effort to collect information on how they’re being used, and ultimately, to promote their widespread adoption. The 5-passenger van has a maximum capacity of 1500 W and can travel up to 190 km on one charge. The Prefecture plans to use the vehicle to both haul and power equipment. It will send reports on mileage and power consumption to Nissan. Governor Ogawa said he wants Fukuoka to become “a model case for electric vehicle utilization for the rest of Japan.” Source: Nissan Motor Corp. news release, 3/8
