In the last four years the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) business at Nissan has emerged as one of the principal drivers of the company's growth worldwide. With long term investments and business strategies in place, LCVs from Nissan will lead the company's expansion into new markets with new and enhanced products in the future as well.
The current prominence of the LCV business at Nissan can be traced to the company's early history. The very first Nissan vehicle that rolled out of the assembly line was an LCV, Datsun 13T in 1934. Later, Datsun trucks in 1958 were the first export model from Japan.
LCVs from Nissan have set trends in innovation since inception with features which have included for example, a semi cab over van and the adoption of a unitized body in the production of first generation Caravan in 1973. To customers LCVs from Nissan represent smart and reliable vehicles they can use in their personal and professional endeavours.
Among the more recent LCV launches are included the following:
NP200
Sales of the NP200 compact pick up started in South Africa on October 1st, 2008. This vehicle addresses the needs of both business users and private motorists looking for a practical work and leisure vehicle. It combines tough workhorse reliability and functionality in a distinctive package. With 800kg payload capacity, the largest in its class, the NP200 stands out as the sensible choice among its competitors. The vehicle also offers the largest and longest load body in its segment as well as the largest interior cabin space.
The NP200 was launched with a 1.6 litre gasoline engine, developing a maximum power of 64kW/ 5,500rpm and a torque of 128Nm/ 3,000rpm. The NP200 substituted the Bakkie which has been available to South African customers for 37 years and has become an icon of functional mobility in the Country.
The NP200 was launched with a 1.6 litre gasoline engine, developing a maximum power of 64kW/ 5,500rpm and a torque of 128Nm/ 3,000rpm. The NP200 substituted the Bakkie which has been available to South African customers for 37 years and has become an icon of functional mobility in the Country.
NP300
In March 2008, Nissan launched its new light commercial truck, code-named D22. The model, also known as NP 300, is a complete makeover of one its most popular models, the Frontier or simply the Nissan Pickup in other markets, and delivers a combination of a powerful performance and fuel economy with high levels of reliability. Its affordability offers fleet and business customers a genuine workhorse with lowest cost of ownership in its class.
Hybrid Cabstar
The Hybrid prototype of Cabstar was first exhibited in the Hanover motor show in 2006 and again in 2008 with an aim to produce it for the truck market. The decision to start production of Cabstar Hybrid demonstrates Nissan’s commitment to meet the emerging needs of business customers for eco-friendly vehicles with reduced CO2 emissions and enhanced fuel economy. Hybrid Cabstar offers fleet owners and institutional operators an opportunity to run cleaner vehicles in their daily business.
NV200
Nissan presented the NV200 at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. Designed from the outset as both a commercial and a passenger vehicle, the Nissan NV200 brings new levels of space, comfort and practicality to the small van market, both in Europe and other global markets.
ATLAS H43 DIESEL HYBRID
In September 2007, Diesel Hybrid and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) model was added to its Atlas H43 Diesel Hybrid line up of LCVs in Japan. The model offered significant enhancements to interior comfort and driver ergonomics, as well as new technologies designed to deliver improved environmental (25% less CO2 emission, 10% less nitrogen oxide emission)and energy-saving performance (35% improvement in fuel economy).
ATLAS F24
In June 2007 Nissan announced the release of its fully redesigned Atlas F24 light-duty truck. The new Atlas F24 is designed for maximum utility, versatility and efficiency for a variety of commercial uses. Its "intelligent design" concept combines a comfortable, highly functional interior with exceptional manoeuvrability and low operational costs.
CLIPPER RIO
Nissan announced the release of the all-new Clipper Rio, a one-box mini-wagon in June 2007. The Clipper Rio is available in a wide range of model variations to meet diverse customer preferences including a new Personal Chair Cab Ramp Type lifecare vehicle. It offers class-leading luggage space, an oversize rear door for easy cargo loading and unloading, flexible seating and the responsive performance of an advanced inter cooled turbo engine. The Clipper Rio is supplied by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation under an OEM agreement.
Atlas F24 and CABSTAR
In 2006, Nissan announced the release of the new Atlas F24 in Japan and Cabstar in Europe, built on the newly developed global platform for light duty trucks (LDT). The new LDT platform and a platform for panel vans will replace Nissan's 11 unique LCV platforms by 2010 in order to maximize efficiency. The new Nissan LDT platform will support Atlas F24/Cabstar's award-winning full cabin over engine (COE) configuration, building on the Atlas F24/Cabstar's reputation for excellent balance between load-carrying capacity and in-town manoeuvrability
