Starting with a full load at New Spitalfields Market in the East End, company director Laszlo Mulato drove a total of 36.6 miles and made 15 deliveries before returning to depot with 50% of the vehicle’s original charge remaining.

According to Nissan, based on that performance, the company could expect to make 3,900 deliveries a year, covering almost 10,000 miles for a total electricity bill of just £260.

The model’s zero emissions performance means the company would also benefit from congestion charge exemption, saving hundreds of pounds more across the year.

Speaking about the results, Laszlo Mulato, director of Fruit 4 London, said: ‘This challenge really opened our eyes to the benefits of moving towards an electric fleet and the e-NV200 in particular. It’s shown us just how much we could save by making the transition and, as a small business, it’s hard to argue with figures like that.

‘We were also really impressed to see first hand how the e-NV200 could help us win new business, with many of our biggest clients and potential customers expressing a preference to work with green-minded suppliers.’

Combining the Nissan NV200 with the proven technology of the British-built Nissan LEAF –the new e-NV200 can cover a claimed 106 miles on a single charge, can be charged from zero to 80% in as little as 30 minutes, and costs two pence per mile to run.

Priced from £13,393 in panel van form, (incorporating PiVG) the Fleet World Honours winning van offers 4.2m3 capacity and an 703kg payload. Meanwhile, the van’s unique driving experience, with an absence of cabin vibration, helps to minimise driver fatigue.