Nissan has given us the first glimpse of its vision for the Fuel Station of the Future concept in association with innovative architects Foster + Partners; the practice behind the Gherkin in London, sustainable urban master-plans including Masdar City and brand headquarters – such as the Apple Campus in California.
The teaser – a 20-second video – previews the final concept which will be unveiled in March next year at the Geneva Motor Show.
David Nelson, Head of Design, Foster + Partners: “As we look ahead at the next 10 years, autonomous cars, artificial intelligence and greater connectivity will come at great pace – and it is our job as architects to inspire and support that change.”
“Pre-empting those developments and integrating technologies to offer urbanites a totally seamless experience is vital, if we are to succeed in creating cities that serve us.”
Last month, Nissan announced a 7kW wireless charging device that could easily accommodate overnight charging for a larger battery pack – like the 500 km, 60 kW pack that is currently in development at the company’s Research and Development headquarters in Atsugi, Japan.
Richard Candler, General Manager, Advanced Product Strategy: “We’ve been at the forefront of zero emission mobility since 2010, and for us this project is about inspiring people to come on the journey with us.
“The world around us is changing, and we find that tremendously exciting. With the rise of connected cities, there is the capacity for fueling to be built into the very fabric of our day-to-day lives – independent infrastructure could be a thing of the past.”
This was followed by the 21st UN Conference on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris this week, where Nissan introduced the development of an innovative Vehicle to Grid system and advances in second-life battery uses that will allow drivers to operate as individual ‘energy hubs’ with the ability to store, use or return electricity to the grid.