Like most of the population, we’re wondering when we can return to our offices—or at least we were until we saw Nissan’s NV350 Caravan Office Pod Concept, one of several concept cars Nissan is showing at the virtual 2021 Tokyo Auto Salon. The NV350 Office Pod turns work-from-home into work-from-wherever, and we’ve decided that we desperately, desperately need a fleet of them, if only to distance ourselves from our own families (we kid … mostly).
Based on the Nissan NV350 van, the NV350 Caravan Office Pod Concept features an office with a computer desk and what appears to be a delightfully overcomplicated office chair. The office pod fits neatly into the back of the Caravan, but should you choose to take your workspace-on-wheels to a more picturesque spot, the pod slides out of the back of the van on rollers, allowing you to finesse your expense reports in tune with nature.
What we like best about the Office Pod is the rooftop deck. It features a lounge chair and a fold-out umbrella, ideal for those times when you really need to concentrate on your business strategy, preferably with a nice cold drink and a spy novel. As for the wavy body graphics, Nissan says they are decorative only, but we can’t help but wonder if the NV350 Office Pod Concept does—or could—take the concept of being off the radar quite literally and deflect probing signals.
Of course, this is a concept only, based on a van not sold in the US (although the NV350 is sold in Mexico as the Urvan—we’re just sayin’). It’s unlikely we’ll ever see a production version, because there is no God and he hates us.
Other Nissan entrants from the virtual Tokyo show:
Nissan Play Gear Concept
This concept car is based on the freshly-facelifted Nissan Note E-Power, a series hybrid that uses an electric motor to drive the front wheels and a 1.2 liter gasoline engine to keep the battery charged. The Play Gear concept gets matte gray paint, 17″ wheels and a roof box that is bound to do wonders for fuel economy. It’s no office-on-wheels, that’s for damn sure.
Nissan Kicks Autech, Note Autech, and Elgrand Autech Concept
Autech is Nissan’s in-house tuner, though two of these production models, the Kicks Autech and Note Autech, really only amount to a regular Kicks and a regular Note with appearance packages. Both feature blue-and-black paint and upholstery along with unique wheels and grilles. Nissan already makes an Elgrand Autech, and the new-to-Tokyo concept version promises “a fusion of the suspension of the Nissan GT-R.” Rig it up with an office in the back and sign us up!
