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  The e-NV200 is due to go on sale in the US in 2013 and could even come to Australia.

The Nissan e-NV200 is the face of Nissan's electric commercial vehicle push.

The Japanese carmaker revealed the futuristic e-NV200 concept at the Detroit Motor Show earlier this month. It's due to go on sale in the US in 2013 and could even come to Australia. 

Nissan has already started running prototypes of the all-electric van, but this is the first time it has shown what the production vehicle could look like. The e-NV200 shown in Detroit was officially a concept vehicle, but it is expected the production vehicle will look very similar. 

It is has a lot in common with the production NV200 van, which is on sale in Europe and will soon be the vehicle of choice in New York's taxi fleet. 

But instead of a petrol or diesel engine, the e-NV200 instead takes on the electric powertrain of the Leaf hatch, which is due to be introduced in Australia in the middle of this year. 

While the regular NV200 van is unlikely to come to Australia due to the incredibly competitive nature of the van market, there is a chance the electric version will be sold as a premium green commercial vehicle. 

Nissan Australia says the eco-friendly van could be part of its electric vehicle range, alongside the Leaf hatch, an electric sedan (most likely badged as an Infiniti) and an electric Nissan sports coupe. 

If the e-NV200 was given the green light, it would likely arrive after the US launch introduction which could mean a local launch date as far away as 2014. 

The smart city hauler has an 80kW motor that also generates a maximum of 280Nm and is fed by a lithium ion battery pack. One major advantage is that all the torque is available as soon as the driver presses the accelerator. 

Nissan is aiming for large and small companies with the e-NV200 van, but the owners will need to keep in mind the range will be limited to a maximum range of 120km and recharging time could affect its operation.