Nissan has found a way for people to enjoy frozen treats without the guilt of polluting the air. Meet the all-electric, zero emissions Nissan Ice Cream Truck.
Based off the e-NV200, Nissan’s 100 percent all-electric light commercial vehicle, this special ice cream truck draws power from a 40-kWh battery instead of a diesel generator. What’s even better is that this auxiliary generator unit uses re-purposed lithium-ion cells recovered from early first-generation Nissan electric vehicles, proving that there’s a sustainable second-life for old EV batteries (another is to light up a Japanese town right after an earthquake struck in 2011).
As a refresher, most ice cream vans, particularly older models, have diesel engines which are kept running to operate the refrigeration equipment. These motors are criticized for producing harmful emissions, including black carbon, when left idling. Some towns and cities are now looking to ban or fine these vehicles.
Competing the environmentally-friendly journey, Nissan partnered with Mackie’s of Scotland, an ice cream producer that powers its family-owned dairy farm using only wind and solar energy.
While the Nissan Ice Cream Truck remains a concept for now, the concept is extremely viable and is a potential solution for businesses looking to reduce their overall carbon footprint. In fact, the Japanese automaker will already be offering the a commercial battery pack called ROAM for mobile professionals by the end of the year. They have also begun re-fabricating battery packs for the Nissan Leaf as well.
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