The problem with today’s ice cream trucks is that purchases usually come with a lungful of toxic fumes belched out by the vehicle’s constantly running engine that powers the vendor’s equipment.
With that in mind, Nissan decided it was time to update the decades-old design and replace it with a more modern, cleaner alternative that takes advantage of the latest electric vehicle (EV) technology.
Unveiled in the United Kingdom on Thursday, June 20, as part of the nation’s annual Clean Air Day activities, the prototype ice cream truck serves up a range of tasty frozen snacks in the traditional way — but without all that nasty pollution.
Nissan used its fully electric e-NV200 commercial vehicle to create the ice cream truck. The motor of the e-NV200 is driven by a 40kWh battery, while the onboard ice cream equipment — including the serving machine, freezer drawer, and drinks fridge — is all powered by the new Nissan Energy ROAM power pack.
The compact, silent, and emission-free ROAM pack uses lithium-ion cells taken from early first-generation Nissan electric vehicles, and incorporates a pair of outlets, four USB ports, and one USB-C port.
Nissan’s high-tech ice cream truck has a range of 124 miles and also features roof-mounted solar panels for additional power and a contactable payment panel for quick and easy transactions
You’ll also find a smart button that tweets the truck’s whereabouts using location app what3words so that nearby ice cream fans can easily find it, a feature certain to boost not only business, but customers’ waistlines, too.
Kalyana Sivagnanam, managing director of Nissan GB, said the truck is the result of “more than a decade of EV experience and progress in battery technology” as it works “to create cleaner solutions for power on the go — in ways customers might not expect.”
Nissan is one of a growing number of automakers exploring various ways to utilize so-called “second-life” batteries taken from EVs once their storage capacity falls below a certain point.
Despite degrading to a level that renders them unsuitable for use in automobiles, the battery packs often still have usable capacity capable of powering things like home appliances, street lighting, and, yes, Nissan’s ice cream truck.
