Nissan’s ingenious NV200 Van Concept

As well as housing diving gear in separate ‘wet’ lockers, the pod holds four air tanks and the underwater scooter. Lockable roller blinds protect the contents, while valuable camera equipment can be accessed either from within NV200 or from outside the pod.

As the pod is withdrawn from the van, the area left behind is transformed into a mobile office and IT dock. A computer table drops down from the side of the van to reveal two LCD screens and the front passenger seat swivels backwards on a single curved rail to face the table.

Everything is designed with its practical application in mind - a shockproof briefcase made from rugged ribbed plastic houses a laptop, moveable storage boxes are mounted in all three doors and natural light for the work surface comes from a small side window and a large domed skylight in the roof of the van. In tropical climates, the skylight can be diffused to prevent a build up of heat within the interior.

The end of the pod facing the inside of the van – it forms a bulkhead behind the front seats when the pod is not deployed – has hanging space for dry clothes. It also houses a small refrigerator, drop down sink unit and first aid kit. NV200’s tanks hold enough water to supply a shower, fitted on the outside of the pod, to allow diving equipment to be washed after use. A two-man tent is housed at the base of the B-pillar behind the driver’s door, while fillers for fuel and water are housed within the opposite B-pillar.

Power for the computer, shower, ’fridge and other electrical fixtures comes from a small generator housed within the van. This, in turn, is charged by solar panels situated on the roof of the pod that line up beneath the skylight so that they generate power even when the pod is not deployed.

The driver and passenger doors open conventionally, while access to the workspace is via a single sliding door on the passenger side.

Large open storage areas run the width of the van beneath the instrument panel and control cluster. Sensors within the storage zones detect movement and illuminate the entire area as soon as a hand or an object is placed in or near the shelves.

A small color TV screen replaces the central rear-view mirror with a rear-facing camera projecting the view behind the van to the screen at all times.

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