Review of the Nissan Townstar Electric Crew

The Nissan Townstar Electric Crew is the epitome of a modern van. Sustainable and versatile, it comes with space for five people while maintaining its practicality and style. 

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

Our Nissan Townstar Electric Crew review covers:

• Minimalist exterior design 
• Versatile interior with space for five people 
• 2.05m3 with the rear seats in place
• 45kWh battery with 122hp electric motor 
• Three trim levels 

Pros:

• Pleasant interior 
• Good technology 
• Decent to drive around town

Cons:

• Lacks a bit of power 
• Only one battery 
• Slow charging 

Nissan introduced its new van range to the world in 2021, and one thing was apparent: a minimalist style. The exterior of the Townstar Electric Crew keeps it simple with a decent-looking front grille, LED headlights, and a clean and boxy rear end. 

Interior space is pretty generous. Those in the front have plenty of space thanks to the Townstar Electric Crew's only fitting two passengers. Unlike some of its rivals, where the front passengers share a two-seat bench, in the Townstar Electric Crew, there's just one seat. Head into the rear, and it's on the right side, but there's still enough space for three adults to get comfortable. 

The Townstar Electric Crew is available in the longer length, at 4,910mm, compared to the smaller 4,486mm found in the standard version. It has a load volume of 2.05m3 and a payload of 679kg. However, you can fold away the rear seats to increase the load capacity up to 3.1m3.

Thanks to the Townstar Electric Crew being a small van, its cabin feels more car-like than van-like. It's well thought out, with supportive seats and a user-friendly dashboard, which makes up for the lack of premium materials. 

On the dashboard, you'll get an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system that comes standard with smartphone mirroring. It's not wireless, and you'll have to connect your phone to a USB port. It also comes with NissanConnect Services, which allows you to sync your phone with the van and plan your route with live traffic data. 

Three trims are available for the Townstar Electric Crew: Acenta, Tekna, and Tekna+. 

Acenta has automatic air conditioning, an electronic parking brake, cruise control, reverse parking sensors, an eight-inch touchscreen, and intelligent emergency braking. 

Tekna has a rear camera, front, rear, and side parking sensors, a smartphone holder, keyless entry, body-coloured rear bumpers, and navigation. 

Tekna+ has intelligent cruise control, blindspot detection, an intelligent parking assistant, a heated leather steering wheel, 16-inch alloy wheels, and an intelligent around-view monitor. 

The Townstar Electric Crew is powered by a 45kWh battery paired with a 122hp electric motor that powers the front wheels. It can return up to 183 miles of range, but I'd expect something more around the 150-mile mark. 

In terms of performance, you'll go from 0 to 62mph in 11.6 seconds and max out at 84mph, which is way short of the petrol version's 114mph. 

For charging, the Townstar Electric Crew comes with an 11kW charger as standard and also can support charging speeds of up to 80kW DC. 

On the road, the Townstar Electric Crew excels around town. The instant torque provides good acceleration from a standing start and the light handling helps to navigate tight city streets. 

You also get plenty of driver assistance systems that help in an urban environment, such as a 'Town' driving mode that makes the steering wheel easier to spin. 

Find yourself on the motorway, and the Townstar Electric Crew is a bit out of its comfort zone. It can cruise along competently, but the electric motor feels really pushed, getting up to 70mph. Its top speed is also just 84mph, so don't expect to be doing much overtaking. 

Prices for the new Nissan Townstar Electric Crew start from £45,954.00 OTR* or to lease from £382.32 per month.

Looking to get behind the wheel of the Nissan Townstar Electric Crew? 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.