If the Renault Master is a little too French for your blood, perhaps the Nissan Interstar will be right up your alley.
Set to be launched in Europe later this year, the redesigned van sports a bold new look thanks to a wide grille that is flanked by C-shaped lighting units. The rest of the design is more evolutionary, but we can see a modernized greenhouse, plastic body cladding, and vertical taillights.
While the van appears as boxy as ever, Nissan said the model has class-leading aerodynamics and a 20% reduction in drag. This has practical benefits as it helps to improve fuel efficiency on ICE-powered variants as well as range on the new EV.
Nissan didn’t delve into many specifics, but noted the side door is 1.6 inches (40 mm) wider while the load area is 4 inches (100 mm) longer. However, variety is the spice of life and there will be a “wide range of factory-built conversions, including Tipper, Dropside and Box Van” variants. Nissan also said we can expect a towing capacity of 5,512 lbs (2,500 kg) and a payload capacity of almost 4,409 lbs (2,000 kg) on ICE variants.
The company didn’t say much about the interior, but it appears virtually identical to its French counterpart. That being said, we can see a new steering wheel and what appears to be additional metallic accents. Nissan also said we can expect “durable seat covers along with a heated windshield and seats.”
The big news is the introduction of the all-new Interstar-e, which is fully electric and features an 87 kWh battery pack that provides a range in excess of 286 miles (460 km). When the battery is low, the van can get up to 157 miles (252 km) of range with a 30 minute fast charge.
Since the Interstar-e was “designed primarily for inner-city driving,” the company will also offer a smaller 40 kWh battery. It promises to make the model more affordable, although the range will be reduced to approximately 124 miles (200 km).
Nissan will also offer a 2.0-liter turbodiesel. The company didn’t say much about it, but the engine will be connected to a nine-speed automatic transmission and offer class-leading fuel efficiency.
More: 2024 Renault Master Has Been Remastered Offering EV, Diesel, And Hydrogen Options
We can expect to learn more details in the coming months, but Nissan said the van has “greatly improved” maneuverability as the turning diameter has been reduced by 4.9 feet (1.5 meters). The company also noted the model will have a host of driver assistance systems including Forward Emergency Braking, Drowsiness Warning, Trailer Sway Assist, and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System.