The 2012 Paris Motor Show is around the corner and all the car manufacturers who are participating are readying their new products for the show. Nissan, one of the leading automobile manufacturers is all ready to set the stage on fire with its latest concept car, Nissan TeRRA.
The name of car is as interesting and unique as its concept. Since Nissan has enough experience in electric vehicles and SUVs, it has tried to incorporate the goods of the two into the TeRRA. So it is a SUV + EV with an innovative 4×4 fuel-cell electric powertrain that ensures zero emission.
Nissan TeRRA Concept Introduction Video:
Its completely futuristic and has been designed keeping in mind the demands of the youth in Europe. On the outside it is quite massive and sporty at the same time. It looks like a two door vehicle but in reality it has four doors, with the rear doors being relatively smaller. The doors does not have the the mid pillar as their support and are rather hinged on the front and rear body panels.
On the inside, the dashboard is innovative and has a unique instrument cluster which is actually an electronic tablet. Beside providing the information about the car, the tablet also acts as the key which the driver needs to dock in when entering the car and remove it when leaving. The tablet displays speed and other key performance indicators.
Under the hood the car features a world leading 2.5 kW/L flat fuel stack. The front wheels are powered by the same electric propulsion system which is seen in Nissan Leaf. While at the rear, each back wheel has an in-wheel electric motor inspired by the working prototypes featured in PIVO concept series. This arrangement avoids the use of a driveshaft and therefore the cabin is flat and does not have a hump.
“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” said Francois Bancon, Nissan’s division general manager of product strategy and planning. “Not big and tough for the desert, the aim was a new approach to SUVs that’s relevant to urban life. The unique diagonal seating layout that offers an exciting driving experience thanks to exceptional visibility that creates a sense of being in control under any conditions.”
Talking about the design of the TeRRA, Nissan senior vice president and chief creative officer, Shiro Nakamura said”:
“You have the big tires, high belt-line, thick pillars and thin side windows of the SUV vocabulary. But with a slender waist between pronounced fenders above the wheel arches, and a sculptured hood, we’ve created an ‘Implied Structure’ of musculature under the skin. Sharp corners, short overhangs and sculptured lamps contribute to a clean, confident stance. An aerodynamically flat body pan in an eye-catching color, protecting the full length of the underside, completes the image of what we call ‘Modern Toughness.”
We hope this concept becomes a reality and production e-SUV soon. We will keep you posted on further details and developments as they happen, stay tuned to Car Blog India.
