Review of the Nissan Townstar Electric

The Nissan Townstar Electric is an electric city van that's ideal for sole traders who need a nippy and versatile van. Coming with agile handling, a good electric range, and two body sizes, the Townstar Electric is an excellent van to lease. 

Rivals to the Townstar Electric include the Renault Kangoo E-Tech, Peugeot e-Partner, Citroen e-Berlingo, and Vauxhall Combo Electric. 

Our Nissan Townstar Electric review covers:

• Boxy exterior design and slick front end 
• Well-built and practical interior 
• Load volume ranges from 3.3 - 4.4m3 
• 90kW electric motor paired with a 45kWh battery 
• Four trim levels 

Pros:

• Better range than rivals 
• Loads of tech available 
• Comfortable and easy to drive around town 

Cons:

• Entry-level trim doesn't get a touchscreen 
• Rivals offer faster charging 
• Only one battery 

The Townstar Electric adds a bit of variation to the city van market, which is more than welcomed. While following the same design principles as the Peugeot e-Partner and Citroen e-Berlingo, the Townstar Electric has a bigger front end and a more square body. 

The cabin of the Townstar Electric is spacious and comfortable. There's plenty of space for the driver and passenger in the front and loads of storage options, including an overhead storage tray and a mobile phone holder on the dash (in Tekna models). 

The Townstar Electric comes in two body lengths, L1 and L2, with load volume ranging from 3.3m3 to 4.3m3. You can also carry up to 604kg worth of cargo, which is pretty good for an electric van, and get a class-leading 1,500kg towing capacity. 

The cabin of the Townstar Electric is undoubtedly one of the best on the market. You get an upmarket feel when sitting behind the wheel, with the dash being excellently built and featuring a range of soft-touch plastics and even a heated leather steering wheel on the Tekna+ trim. 

As standard, you get a 4.2-inch infotainment system with a DAB radio and Bluetooth, but upgrade to Acenta trim, and you get a proper eight-inch touchscreen system with smartphone mirroring that's easy to use and responds quickly to touch. 

Four trim levels are available for the Townstar Electric: Visia, Acenta, Tekna, and Tekna+. 

Visia has 16-inch wheels, LED front headlights, manual air conditioning, a height-adjustable driver's seat, a 4.2-inch colour display, a DAB audio system with Bluetooth, remote central locking, a hill hold assist, and automatic headlights/wipers. 

Acenta adds LED front fog lights, an eight-inch touchscreen audio system, an electric parking brake, automatic climate control, cruise control, reverse parking sensors, and intelligent brake assist. 

Tekna has keyless entry/go, a smartphone holder, integrated sat-nav, front and rear parking sensors, and a rear camera. 

Tekna+ has 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, a heated leather steering wheel, intelligent park assist, traffic sign recognition, driver attention alert, blind-spot detection with intervention assistance, intelligent adaptive cruise control, and a 10-inch colour display. 

The Townstar Electric has a 90kw electric motor that's paired with a 45kWh lithium-ion battery to deliver 122hp and 245Nm of torque. You'll be able to do 0-60mph in 14 seconds, which is slower off the mark than the Vauxhall Combo Electric and Citroen e-Berlingo but does top out at a slightly higher 84mph. 

One of the main pulls of the Townstar Electric is that it has a greater range than its rivals, coming in at 183 miles. It also comes with 11kW AC charging as standard and supports speeds up to 80kW DC to allow rapid charging speeds. 

The Townstar Electric is pleasant to drive and excels around town, but it lacks a punch at higher speeds. At low speeds, the Townstar Electric is superb. Its handling is lightweight, and the suspension deals well with potholes. We'd even say it's better than the Vauxhall Combo Electric when around town. 

There's also a 'Town' driving mode, which makes the steering wheel easier to spin around when in tight spots. 

Increase up to motorway speeds, and the Townstar Electric is relaxed and composed, offering good refinement at cruising speeds. It's less powerful than some of its rivals, like the Citroen e-Berlingo, but it's more than good enough for long journeys. 

You also get cruise control from the Acenta trim, which is upgraded to intelligent adaptive cruise control in the range-topping Tekna+ trim.  

Prices for the new Nissan Townstar Electric start from £40,794.00 OTR* or to lease from £395.54 per month.

Looking to get behind the wheel of the Nissan Townstar Electric? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest van leasing brokers and offers a range of leasing deals to suit your every need.

Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase, thanks to a low initial deposit and fixed monthly rentals.

*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change; always check with your nearest retailer.