Nissan has introduced an interesting all-electric van in Europe, called the e-NV200 Evalia (why not just Evalia I have no idea). In its standard form (below) it looks good, and promises a range of “up to” a middling 187 miles.
Now the company has released images of a pop-top camper concept, shown adventuring in snowy conditions somewhere. Consider that for a moment. An all-electric vehicle obviously uses a lot of energy to heat the interior in frigid weather, which means that “up to” maximum range is going to be butchered. In fact one of the publicity shots shows a couple who look for all the world as though they’ve just awakened from an frigid night to find their vehicle stone-cold dead and immobile, and are dully trying to heat some water for coffee to stave off hypothermia while waiting for the concept vehicle’s roof-mounted solar panel to recharge the battery bank enough to drive home on—a process that shouldn’t take more than a week if they don’t turn on a single LED accent lamp in the interim.
However, in the next photo they look much, much happier—I suspect because in the meantime they’ve pulled out the front seats and burned them to warm up and/or signal for help.
Ah, well, I guess that didn’t work. Here they are preparing to attempt to ski back to civilization.
No word on when or if the Evalia will be released in the U.S.—or whether the couple survived.