Just days after showing a mobile office van concept in Japan, Nissan is addressing another topical pandemic-era subject with an all-electric camper van concept for Europe. Winter camping is enjoying a lot of attention right now, and Nissan has seized the moment by turning the e-NV200 into a winterized pop-up mini-camper. Disappear into the snow-blanketed mountains or frosted forest without dirtying the pristine environment with even a puff of tailpipe emissions.
As the pandemic interrupted the usual avenues of travel, RVing, camping and outdoor recreation picked up the mantle as the means to escape everyday life and see the world in summer 2020. That trend surely slowed as autumn gave way to winter, but it never quite stopped entirely. Interest in winter camping seems to be running at an all-time high – at least judging by the number of headlines popping up to address the subject.
Beyond winter camping, RVs and camper vehicles are also taking on a larger role in early 2021, becoming a form of socially distanced day lodge. Many ski resorts and related entities are pushing the idea of using one's vehicle as a base lodge to prevent indoor crowding in resort restaurants and lodges. The trend has played out quite noticeably at our local ski mountain, where weekends see the parking lots swell with groups of people sitting outside adventure vans and camper pickups, their tables, chairs, stoves and grills spilling onto the edges of the slopes. More than ever, the RV is a comfy place to spend cold winter days.
With the e-NV200 Winter Camper concept, Nissan Europe explores how electric technology can help further shape the energized winter RVing phenomenon, cutting out the thick exhaust that seems to linger longer than usual when released into the cold, crisp mountain air. It complements the 40-kWh battery powering the e-NV200's electric drive with a 220-V electrical package for powering camping equipment. Roof-mounted solar panels charge the leisure battery when soaking in the sun that deluges treeless high-elevation snowfields.
Nissan preps the e-NV200 for safely navigating ice-patched roads and snowy trails with a ride height lift and premium off-road tires. The 5,400-lumen twin LED spotlights on the bull bar up front beef lighting power up for pitch-black wilderness, and a wintry high-alpine graphics package and rear ski rack give the Winter Camper the look of an all-weather adventure machine. Not only does Nissan fancy its concept van a ski lodge, it envisions it working as a ski shuttle for accessing remote ski-touring terrain.
Nissan fills out the interior of the 180-inch-long (456-cm) Winter Camper with a classic floor plan that includes a small driver-side kitchen with stove, sink and fridge, rear seats that work as both a dining bench and fold-out bed, and a pop-up roof. The walls of the pop-top appear to be insulated with winter-grade fabric, an important addition when camping in sub-freezing temperatures.
The interior motif isn't quite as rustic chic or lodge-like as other camper alternatives out there, but Nissan gives it a warmer-than-average feel with string lights and a generous amount of wood-style trim. We're confident there's a heater in there somewhere keeping things warm and cozy, but Nissan doesn't mention what type it is.
"For Nissan, electric mobility is all about offering an exciting experience behind the wheel – while above all remaining conscious of our impact on the environment,” says Dmitry Busurkin, corporate sales and light commercial vehicles general manager at Nissan Europe. "Imbued with the essence of adventure and thrilling electrified power, the Nissan e-NV200 Winter Camper concept van is an expression of the future of zero-emissions mobility."
The Winter Camper is merely a show vehicle, but Nissan Europe does say that the Nissan Camper Technology Luxury Kit used to transform it into a camper van will be available for e-NV200 and e-NV200 Evalia models. The company introduced an e-NV200 camper van in Spain several years ago. Winter Camper accessories like the front and rear mudguards, side bars and rubber mats are also available as e-NV200 add-ons.
Source: Nissan Europe