Nissan collaborated with UK-based design workshop Studio Hardie to transform its zero-emission e-NV200 van into the world’s first all-electric mobile office called the e-NV200 WORKSPACe.
This professional office environment on wheels features an integrated fold-out work desk, on-board Wi-Fi internet, smartphone-controlled LED lights, wireless phone charging dock, Bluetooth music system, mini-fridge and coffee machine.
The two chrome-and-leather desk chairs are anchored to the van’s oak flooring on custom mounts. In one configuration, these are positioned side-by-side to allow for two people to have a meeting. One of the chairs can be moved to a central mounting point, allowing a user to sit at the fold-out table console, which houses a touchscreen computer, wireless mouse and keyboard, plus an array of stationery supplies, each with its own storage space.
On the other side of the load bay is a console designed for making barista-quality coffee. A barista-quality coffee maker rises mechanically from a concealed compartment within the counter, and there’s a full array of coffee-making equipment, stored in the overhead locker, for crafting the perfect espresso or cappuccino.
If the weather is fine, both of the side sliding doors can be opened, together with the split rear doors, to create a more open working atmosphere. At the rear, a cleverly integrated floating deck can be pulled out to provide an outdoor area from which to take a phone call, work from a laptop or just admire the view of your surroundings.
The e-NV200 WORKSPACe concept not only highlights the customisable potential of its electric van, it paints a picture of what desk-based employment could look like in the future as hot-desking and flexible working grows in popularity across the globe.
During 2015, the number of co-working and hot-desking spaces worldwide increased by 36 percent as small businesses and working professionals looked for increased mobility and a more cost-effective alternative to traditional city-centre office space.
The e-NV200 WORKSPACe offers a cost-effective desk space solution allowing users to work for free in some business districts that offer free EV charging bays, or escape the city altogether for the countryside or coastal fresh air.
The vehicle can be rapid-charged from empty to 80 percent power in just 30 minutes, and for those times when you want to leave your mobile office parked and charging up, there’s an internal mount for a folding Brompton Bike, allowing users to make short trips around the city or complete the “last mile” of any journey.
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