LEGENDARY London department store Harrods new Nissan electric van has taken the high profile deliveries full circle a century after it ran a fleet of electric vans to serve the capital.

Less than a month after Nissan provided the first electric van fleet for the Ministry of Defence at Portsmouth Naval Base, the British department store is the latest European business to add a zero emission Nissan e-NV200 to its fleet.

Back in 1919, the store used the American solid-tyred Walker electric vans, later building its own fleet of 60 electric vehicles to deliver goods to local London customers. As petrol engines became more popular, the electric vans were slowly phased out.

However with the introduction and development of new infrastructure and technology, Nissan has enabled Harrods to have an all-electric van on its fleet once again.

Nissan officially handed over the 100 per cent electric van to Harrods outside its luxury Knightsbridge store this week, with more than 27,000 Nissan electric vehicles sold to businesses across Europe so far.

Harrods new Nissan electric van, the  Nissan e-NV200, has been specially adapted to perfectly fit the store’s delivery needs. The load space of the van has been fully refrigerated and shelving units added to allow for fresh groceries to be transported in optimum condition. The exterior has also been wrapped in the traditional green and gold Harrods livery to make it recognisable as it travels around the city.

The e-NV200 has an official range of up to 106 miles on a single charge, but is easily capable of making up to 50 deliveries per week covering an average 150 miles in the London area with Harrods only needing to charge it once a week.

With an average running cost of as little as 2p per mile, the e-NV200 offers an alternative practical solution which will have a positive effect on city-centre air quality.

Guy Cheston, media sales director at Harrods, said: “It’s wonderful to see an electric Harrods van on the roads of London again. As one of Britain’s largest established department stores, we are committed to reducing our carbon emissions and mitigating our environmental footprint. As part of our carbon and energy management policy, we have identified transportation as a key area where we can make a real impact.

“We have a strong heritage in developing innovative technology, both in-store and out, and Harrods was one of the first companies in the UK to develop an all-electric commercial fleet, introducing our first electric vehicle over 100 years ago.

“Electric technology has developed rapidly since our old fleet was in operation, and is now a far more sustainable transport solution. Nissan is the leader in EV technology and the e-NV200 was the obvious choice for us, allowing us to easily complete daily deliveries more sustainably and efficiently.”

Gareth Dunsmore, director of electric vehicles for Nissan Europe, said: “Businesses across Europe are taking major steps to reduce their impact on the environment and it’s great to see such an iconic British department store embracing zero emission technology and putting the e-NV200 on their fleet.

“Through Nissan Intelligent Mobility, we are working towards a sustainable future and we believe that zero emission vehicles, such as the e-NV200 are vital to tackling air pollution – an issue affecting many cities across Europe.

“The Nissan e-NV200 is designed for forward-thinking businesses and I am delighted that Harrods has put its trust in us to help them switch to more sustainable transport solutions. Harrods is demonstrating to other European retailers how EVs can help to reduce the carbon footprint of their business while providing the practicality and versatility needed to deliver goods to customers across London.”