TeRRA SUV Concept (Japan, 2012)

NissanNissanJapan, 1932 > present159 models
6957 photos
12 videos
has a new hydrogen fuel cell SUV called the TeRRANissan TeRRA SUV ConceptJapan, 2012 > 201219 photos
that it unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. Nissan admits that it is not ready to produce a hydrogen fuel cell in large quantities, but the fuel cell in the TeRRA is functional. 

The front wheels are powered by the same powertrain as the Nissan LeafNissan LEAFJapan, 2009 > present29 versions
45 photos
1 video
. Two separate electric motors power the rear wheels, one in each wheel, and are linked to the fuel cell electrically. That means that there is no driveshaft and therefore no hump in the rear. 

"Our challenge was to take Nissan's strength in SUVs and crossovers forward into the zero-emissions era, fuel cells being our new frontier in zero emission mobility. Not big and tough for the desert, the aim was a new approach to SUVs that's relevant to urban life,” said Francois Bancon, Nissan's head of product planning. 

Nissan says that the TeRRA is aimed at its customers in northern Europe. The truck is more suited to urban duty with light off-roading than a true off-road vehicle.

Still, Nissan has tried to make the TeRRA look like an SUV. It has a high beltline, thick pillars and pronounced wheel arches. To appeal to urban buyers, it also has short front and rear overhangs and a sharp-cornered body. 

Inside the car is a mix of light-colored wood and acrylic. The instrument cluster is arrayed on a removable electronic tablet that actually acts as the car's key. It can be toggled to show instruments, communications or entertainment information. The rear seats are set up diagonally so that the rear passengers are behind the shoulder of the front passengers instead of directly behind them.