| Make
|
Nissan |
| Model |
Townpod |
| Concept
year |
2010 |
| Production
year |
- |
| Engine |
Electric |
The Nissan Townpod is a compact zero-emission city car
concept which was debuted at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.
But it's not just a car, the Townpod is also a mobile
office and light commercial vehicle. The whole idea behind
the concept is one of versatility and usability.
The Nissan Townpod is specifically aimed at self-employed
people, as these people's requirements from a vehicle
can change daily. Francois Bancon, general manager of
Nissan's Exploratory and Advance Planning Department said
of the concept: "The self employed tend to have
very high expectations. They need to make the most of
every investment. They will be early adopters of the possibilities
made available through the convergence of electric-vehicle
innovations and information and technology."
The cargo area, passenger space and dashboard are clean
and uncluttered, but not bland. The driver is faced with
an uncomplicated yet futuristic steering wheel and two
familiar stalks to operate the lights and wipers, but
other than these controls the dashboard is devoid of any
mechanical switches. Forward or reverse is selected using
an simple joystick set into the right-hand side of the
driver's seat base.
All the controls for interior systems such as climate
control and media playback are accessed through two centrally
mounted digital screens. The Townpod's upper monitor serves
as an instrument panel, displaying car speed, battery
status and remaining range as well as a satellite navigation
system.
The rear seat of the Nissan Townpod has an interesting
trick incorporated into its design. The ultra-slim design
of the seats means that the rear bench can fold and slide
right into the back of the front seats, freeing the entire,
flat-bottomed space behind to carry bulky cargo.
For the Townpod concept Nissan's designers have also created
a simple but unique device called 'The Puck'. The Puck
is a rubber ball, roughly the size of a squash ball, with
a wide groove cut into it. This groove can accommodate
cup holders, cell-phone holders, handbag hooks or other
items Nissan or other product manufacturers think will
be useful in a car.
Powering the Nissan Townpod concept is a zero-emission
electric drivetrain which utilizes lithium-ion batteries.
Similar and related vehicles:
Nissan Weave
Nissan Bevel
Nissan Urge
Nissan GT-R Proto
Nissan V35 GT-R
Nissan Foria
Nissan Jikoo
Nissan Actic
Nissan Pivo
Nissan Pivo 2
Nissan Nuvu
Nissan Round Box (R.D/B.X)
Nissan NV200
Nissan Intima
Nissan Terranaut
Nissan Zaroot
|
|
