Nissan Hyper Adventure Concept Takes Aim at “Eco-Minded Outdoor Travelers”

Nissan is going to extremes — for the Japan Mobility Show, that is. The automaker plans to reveal an assortment of EV show cars at the annual event and, after giving us a sense of how it might plug into city life with the Hyper Urban Crossover, it’s now taking us out on the trail with the eco-friendly Nissan Hyper Adventure concept.

Automotive designers love to stretch their imagination with concept vehicles, and the team at Nissan is no exception, offering up an assortment of prototypes that give us a hint of where the automaker might go with its future battery-electric vehicles.

The concepts the automaker is bringing to this year’s Japan Mobility Show really do stretch to extremes. Days after giving us a look at the Hyper Urban Crossover, Nissan is taking us on a digital overland journey. It describes the Hyper Adventure Concept as “outfitted for eco-minded outdoor travelers.”

“Whether it’s a weekend jaunt to the local mountains or a monthslong journey to a remote locale, the Nissan Hyper Adventure’s primary objective is to accommodate the outdoorsperson’s diverse needs,” the automaker said in a release accompanying these digital renderings.

All-terrain traction

The Hyper Adventure concept makes good use of its battery-electric drivetrain. Its e-4ORCE all-wheel drive system is designed to make it possible to traverse all sorts of terrain “smoothly, safely, and in style,” said Nissan.

To further enhance traction, Nissan notes the wheels, as well as the front and rear bumpers, are fitted with crampons to help maintain grip when driving through deep snow.

Power up everything

Travelers, meanwhile, can tap into the “large-capacity” battery pack to power up a campsite, charge electric toys or simply keep the lights on at home in the event of a blackout — features known as “vehicle-to-everything,” or V2X.

One of the benefits of battery-electric propulsion is that by moving the battery pack and motors below the load floor, an automaker frees up space traditionally devoted to an engine compartment. And without a driveshaft, the cabin gets a flat load floor. Nissan designers worked those features into the design of the Hyper Adventure concept which, among other things, boasts a much larger interior than you might otherwise expect based on its modest exterior footprint.

Flexible design

While not entirely unique — think Tesla Model X — the Japanese show car uses conventional front doors but opts for gullwings for the rear seats. However, Nissan goes a step further than its U.S. competitor by adopting a rear bench seat that can rotate a full 180 degrees. That allows a motorist to pop open the large tailgate and convert the cargo bed into seating.

With the bench in its normal position, however, there’s plenty of space for a tent, skis, kayak or other outdoor gear.

Adding to the Hyper Adventure’s flexibility and functionality, it adds “automatically extendable and retractable steps.”

High-tech interior

While the overall design is meant to convey a sense of outdoor adventure, the show car is decidedly high-tech. That’s underscored by the yoke-style steering wheel which can automatically retract when the Hyper Adventure concept is switched into autonomous driving mode.

For now, at least, the Nissan Hyper Adventure concept lives only in virtual reality. It will be displayed at the Japan Mobility Show in digital form.

But don’t dismiss the concept entirely. Nissan was an early pioneer in electrification with the Leaf, the world’s first mainstream battery-electric vehicle. After an extended wait, it’s now added the Ariya SUV to its EV family and hints there are a number of other models coming. While some of the off-roaders features likely won’t make it into production, it would surprise few to see Nissan follow up with a rugged electric crossover targeting those “eco-minded outdoor travelers.”