Nissan Imagines New Ambulance, Electric Delivery Van in Tokyo

Nissan will bring a pair of commercial vehicle concepts to the Tokyo Motor Show in October. One will imagine a new ambulance, and the e-NV200 Fridge Concept will offer an electric vehicle that will be able to haul goods in need of refrigeration.

The Nissan Paramedic Concept uses NV350 Caravan as a base. The van highlights the technology and features that the company imagines for the fifth generation of ambulance for the Japanese market. It features a 1.6-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion auxiliary battery onboard that powers the life-saving equipment, and the cabin has technology that reduces the spread of germs. The driver should also have an easier time getting around because the Nissan's Intelligent Around View Monitor is standard equipment. Power comes from a 2.5-liter four-cylinder and a five-speed automatic transmission. Sales of the production model begin in fiscal year 2018.

Japan's cities are full of tight streets, and the e-NV200 Fridge Concept imagines a compact van that would let a company deliver refrigerated cargo in crowded, urban environments. To make this work possible in an electric vehicle, this hauler packs two batteries: a 24-kWh unit for the powering the van's electric powertrain and a separate, 12-kWh battery for the refrigeration equipment, which sits on the roof.

While Nissan doesn't reveal many details about either of these useful concepts yet, the company says even less about the other new models it has for Tokyo. The firm's shadowy teaser (above) for an electric crossover suggests that the design might borrow cues from the latest Leaf, though.

In addition, recent spy shots hint that a revised GT-R Nismo might debut there, but nothing is official about it yet. The photos (above) show the coupe with bigger brakes than the current model, and the test mule does a poor job of hiding new vents in the front fenders.