From Sky to Scoop: Nissan unveils zero-emission ice cream van concept for Clean Air Day

Mackie’s of Scotland Press releases

 NISSAN has taken the ICE (internal combustion engine) out of the ice cream van, creating an all-electric, zero-emission concept for ‘Clean Air Day’ in the UK on June 20th.

Mackie's of Scotland and Nissan create zero-emission ice cream van in PR revelation

LONDON, UK (June 20, 2019) – Nissan partnered with Mackie’s of Scotland, an ice cream producer that powers its family-owned dairy farm using renewable energy from wind and solar. The project demonstrates how a ‘Sky to Scoop’ approach can remove carbon dependence from every stage of the ice cream journey.

Most ice cream vans have diesel engines which are kept running to operate the refrigeration equipment. These idling motors produce harmful emissions, including black carbon. Some UK towns and cities are now looking to ban or fine these vehicles. Nissan’s concept presents a potential solution for vendors looking to reduce their carbon footprint, and benefit their customers’ health.

The prototype van is based on the e-NV200, Nissan’s 100% electric LCV (light commercial vehicle). The concept is a working demonstration of Nissan’s Electric Ecosystem, combining a zero-emission drivetrain, second-life battery storage and renewable solar energy generation.

Whilst the van’s motor is driven by a 40kWh battery, the on-board ice cream equipment, including a soft-serve machine, freezer drawer and drinks fridge, are powered by the newly unveiled Nissan Energy ROAM.

Designed for both professional and leisure applications, ROAM is a portable power pack that uses lithium-ion cells recovered from early first-generation Nissan electric vehicles (produced from 2010 onwards). This provides a sustainable second-life for Nissan EV batteries.

Mackie's of Scotland and Nissan create zero-emission ice cream van in Food and Drink PR revelation

Kalyana Sivagnanam, managing director, Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd. said; “Ice cream is enjoyed the world over, but consumers are increasingly mindful of the environmental impact of how we produce such treats, and the ‘last mile’ of how they reach us.

“This project is a perfect demonstration of Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility strategy, applying more than a decade of EV experience and progress in battery technology to create cleaner solutions for power on the go – in ways customers might not expect.

“By eliminating harmful tailpipe emissions, and increasing our use of renewable energy, we can help make this a better world for everyone.”

Karin Hayhow, marketing director at Mackie’s of Scotland, said; “We’re delighted to have worked with Nissan on this project as it’s the perfect complement to our own vision of becoming self-sustainable in renewable energy – and eliminating carbon in the journey from ‘Sky to Scoop’.

“At Mackie’s we’ve already shifted our dependence from fossil-fuels on to clean renewable power. We now export 4.5 times more energy to the national grid than we consume. This year we will make further progress towards our vision with the installation of an innovative new low-carbon refrigeration system. We’re proud to be a ‘climate positive’ ice cream maker.”

Chris Large, Senior Partner, Global Action Plan, added; “The Clean Air Day campaign is here to celebrate innovation and accelerate action. We welcome Nissan’s efforts to make ice cream vans that serve up toxic fumes a thing of the past. Schoolchildren campaigning for the Clean Van Commitment sent a video message to all van fleets encouraging them to get millions more electric vans on to UK roads in place of diesels. I think those children would love this project.”

Nissan e-NV200 Ice Cream Van: in detail

The e-NV200 has an all-electric driving range of up to 124-miles (WLTP Combined) between charges. The two Nissan Energy ROAM units have a combined storage capacity of 1.4kWh and can each output power at up to 1kW. They can be recharged either from a 230v mains supply (a full recharge takes about an hour), or the solar panel array on the van’s roof (a full recharge in 2-4 hours*).

The concept takes a number of new approaches to the ice cream van. Ice cream is served from a hatch that opens in the side of the vehicle, with the vendor dispensing ice cream standing next to the van – a customer-facing experience instead of being separated by an elevated counter.

Ice cream can be paid for with cash, but also contactless bank card and smartphone payments via a ‘tap-to-pay’ panel mounted on the side of the van.

Instead of a speaker playing a jingle to attract customers – a feature not always popular with parents – the concept has a smart button that generates a tweet of the van’s precise location using the global addressing service What3Words. What3Words divides the entire world into 3m x 3m locations, each with a unique three word address, e.g. ///trendy.angel.define is a spot on Brighton & Hove’s seafront in the UK.  It means customers can easily find the exact location of the van in a park or sea front where normal street addressing would not apply.

Thanks to the e-NV200’s bi-directional charging capability, owners can even earn an income through the winter – when the van is less frequently used.

Through a V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) charger, the e-NV200’s battery can be used to store surplus energy from the national grid (for example renewable energy from wind and solar), and then provide it back to the grid when it’s needed. This technology can help to balance out the peaks in national energy demands, as well as providing EV owners with additional revenue from their vehicle when it’s not being driven.

 


Read of the success of this worlds first here:

Emission-free ice cream van travels around the world


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