The vehicle will be deployed for office deliveries in the Marunouchi District of Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, home to Japan’s financial district and the headquarters of its three largest banks as well as numerous multinationals.

DHL already has a substantial interest in electric vehicles through its Go Green programme, which is already over half way towards its end goal of a a 30% reduction in 2007 CO2 emission levels by 2020.

It operates a carbon-neutral delivery service, and has already begun rolling out a fleet of 141 electric vehicles in Germany, where it has one of the nation's largest fleets. The company is also working with Sheffield-based Magtec on a hybrid delivery truck, and has developed its own electric scooter with StreetScooter and RWTH Aachen University.

The logistics company is the latest in a long line of companies to conduct short-term tests of the e-NV200, including the Japan Postal Service, Coca-Cola and supermarket chain AEON in Japan, British Gas in the UK and FedEx in Japan and the UK. It has also been deployed field trial in Tochigi Prefecture to test its suitability for use in rural areas.

Results from the trials are being used to ready the van for a commercial launch in the 2014 fiscal year, with European models scheduled to be built alongside the conventional NV200 at Nissan’s plant in Barcelona. Nissan is also considering an e-NV200 London Taxi, depending on stakeholder interest.