Nissan Demos Electric Ice Cream Truck
Nissan Motor Co. demonstrated a prototype electric ice cream truck this week in London as part of the U.K.’s Clean Air Day.
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Nissan Motor Co. demonstrated a prototype electric ice cream truck this week in London as part of the U.K.’s Clean Air Day.
The carmaker notes that most current ice cream trucks are powered by diesel engines, which have to be kept running to operate refrigeration equipment. Because of the emissions generated from idling, some U.K. cities have threatened to ban such trucks.
Based on Nissan's e-NV200 electric commercial van, the concept vehicle is powered by a 40-kWh lithium-ion battery that provides a 125-mile driving range. A bi-directional charging system allows owners to supply excess energy back to the electrical grid.
A separate system, consisting of recycled EV batteries with a 1.4-kWh storage capacity, is used for the onboard refrigerator and soft-serve machine. Nissan says these batteries can be recharged from the electric grid in about an hour or via the truck’s roof-mounted solar panel array in less than four hours.
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