Nissan Navara Enguard Concept: The Ultimate All-Terrain Rescue Pick-Up With Portable Ev Battery Power – Sep 24, 2016– Hannover, Germany (Techreleased) – Nissan has unveiled an all-new vehicle at the 2016Hannover Motor Show. The Nissan Navara EnGuard Concept is a durable and tough all-terrain pick-up, designed to operate as a life-saving rescue platform in some of the world’s most harsh and extreme environments.
Based on a Double Cab Tekna version of the Nissan Navara (the top Navara model grade, called ST-X in Australia) – the current holder of the International Pick-up Award – the Navara EnGuard Concept features many bespoke design elements and performance upgrades. It is also packed with vital equipment suitable for emergency and disaster recovery work, including an advanced drone to provide vital intelligence about what dangers rescue crews might face.
When docked in place the battery packs are constantly in ‘charge’ mode, using power generated by the vehicle’s 2.3-litre 140kW / 450Nm twin-turbo diesel engine to ensure they’re ready for emergency use when required. Each is a 2kW unit and utilises seven Nissan EV battery modules inside a weather-proof machined aluminium housing.
Occupying the rest of the space in the load bed are two pull-out fibreglass trays. The shallow upper tray contains lightweight items such as two-way radios, ropes and an axe. The lower tray is deeper and narrower, storing larger items such as an oxygen tank and resuscitation kit, life jackets and buoyancy aids.
Key to the car’s rescue role is a drone, a DJI Phantom 4 with an operating ceiling of 6,000 metres. Weighing just 1,380 grammes, it can fly at speeds of up to 20 metres per second for close to 30 minutes and can relay images back to the concept car. These are viewed on a pop-up HD screen hidden in the load bed wall.
Compared to the standard Nissan Navara, the overall ride height of the Navara EnGuard Concept has been raised by 50mm, creating extra ground clearance and further enhancing the vehicle’s ‘go anywhere’ attitude. The wheel arches feature bespoke overfenders, with new moulded side steps between them.
Mechanically, the vehicle has also been enhanced. Like all Navaras, it’s built around a rugged ladderframe chassis, but features a new fully adjustable performance suspension system with uprated nylon bushes to further improve off-road capability.
He continued: “The Navara EnGuard Concept opens a new chapter in the Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision, featuring our commitment to zero fatalities and zero emissions. Our prototype EV portable battery pack reveals how Nissan will integrate its world-renowned EV battery technology and expertise into new sectors in the future.”
