Nissan Townpod: the versatile EV car

Nissan is presenting at this year’s Paris Motor Show the brand’s second electric vehicle (EV) concept. The Townpod was developed focusing on the versatility, so that it could adapt to different and peculiar needs.

With the Townpod concept Nissan wants to offer the possibility to customers of choosing the interior specifications of their vehicle by using proprietary as well as third-party sourced accessories. The idea is that everyone adapts the car to its individual needs. For example a musician transporting its kit between gigs, a delicatessen proprietor distributing their wares or an architect carrying drawings to a client musician.

According to Nissan's Exploratory and Advance Planning Department, François Bancon, "Only they know what is essential for their lives, so it is logical that they should be the ones who determine the ultimate specification of their cars. For them an off-the-shelf solution is not enough and the best-equipped people to tailor-make their cars are themselves. What is more revealing is that Nissan Townpod users do not appreciate stereotypes or status symbols. For them, the ultimate status is to have no status."

In terms of design the Townpod features several familiar visual elements from different Nissan cars. The concept car is powered by the same zero-emission technology used on the LEAF, with the charging points located in the nose behind an automatically retracting cover. The charging points is surrounded by an electric blue plaint which reflects the car's "Stratosphere White" body paint. The same electric blue paint is used in other details sch as door handles, number plate, the spokes of the alloy wheels and within the headlamp pods. These elements end up showing that the car is definitely an EV.

Following Nissan Townpod's philosophy of stylish utility the headlights serve as position markers when the blue "petals" are closed and headlights when open, while the external location of the pods eases basic maintenance.

Thanks to the innovative position of the headlights, the Townpod gets a bonnet line which might recall the Nissan Z, which ends up in a visor-like wraparound, blue tinted glass house, which resembles to Nissan Cube.

At the back, the split rear doors give the Townpod a van-like appearance. The rear features back lights on the right, a number plate on the left, and a rear-door handle set into a concave surface.

According to Nissan “The rear lights are designed to reflect light like cut jewels when not in use, and to sparkle rather than simply glow when illuminated”. Thanks to innovative hinges, the rear doors slide, allowing to open them in confined spaces and to fold to the side of the car in order not to obstruct passing traffic or pedestrians.

The Townpod also features a hatch-like sun roof, directly above the cargo area, which allows it to carry taller objects.

Athough it has a very utilitarian interior design, Nissan didn’t abdicate from giving it a stylish look. The driver is offered a futuristic steering wheel and two familiar stalks to operate the lights and wipers. The dashboard with its flowing lines has been emptied of mechanical switches and the forward and rearward drive is selected using an uncomplicated joystick located in the right-hand side of the driver's seat base.