Nissan’s NV series vans are catering to those who need a traveling garage with its versatile van that unfolds into a workshop, according to New Atlas. The van mixes professional work, such as carpentry, while integrating the necessity of traveling.
Originally, in 2007, Nissan revealed its slide-out NV200 concept to show how automobiles can provide mobile workspaces. Nissan also teamed up with Studio Hardie to create another van where the outside and inside contained all of the gizmos and gadgets of a modern office, featuring leather and chrome seats and an expresso machine.
Now, the two have collaborated once again to revamp the NV300 van and turn it into a traveling woodworking workshop. The concept was unveiled at the 2019 Brussels Motor Show, and not only offers a space for woodworkers, but also integrates wood into its interior design. Timber lines the floors, walls, and cupboards, while a workbench is hidden behind the driver’s seat with a touchscreen computer. There’s also a place to sit and design with swiveling stools that slide up and down on rails mounted to the floor.
But none of these woodworking tools are any good without power, so Nissan packed a portable battery into the van that charges via a rooftop solar panel, “making it a truly ‘off-grid’ power solution,” according to Nissan’s statement. The weatherproof battery pack, also known as Energy ROAM, holds a capacity of 700 Wh and a maximum power output of 1 kW. Nissan built Energy Roam from batteries that were recovered from their Leaf electric cars.
Nissan hopes woodworkers who are constantly on the road and moving from job site to the next can utilize this van that continuously powers their tools and provides an easy set-up.
“With the NV300 Concept-van, Nissan is really thinking about the future of the commercial vehicle as an authentic partner for business customers,” says Francesco Giacalone, LCV Planning and Marketing Director, Nissan Europe. “It’s practical and versatile as well as innovative and self-sufficient with the addition of Nissan Energy ROAM. We believe it has enormous potential in the LCV sector and is a key differentiator for Nissan commercial vehicles.”