Nissan Pivo: “unusual aquarium” on wheels

The Nissan Pivo is an amazing concept car that has spanned three generations but never made it into production. Why such a funny name? This is not something that usually comes to mind - a car has nothing even close to anything in common with a foamy drink. In fact, in Japanese the model is called 日産・ピボ, or "Pibo", which also means "pivot" or "pivot point" in English. And here it is - we’ll figure it out below.

What are you, Nissan Pivo?

The first mention of this funny name occurred in the relatively distant year 2005. With the presentation of an unusual concept, Nissan opened a line of three electric cars - Pivo, Pivo 2 and Pivo 3, respectively. The first show took place in October 2005.

Pivo

The original model appeared before visitors to the Tokyo Motor Show and instantly became the center of attention. No wonder - the futuristic look alone was enough to win the interest of the audience. An extremely streamlined design, a rotating round cabin on a four-wheel platform and a panoramic view from the cabin: the main features of the Nissan Pivo. Of course, they are far from the only ones.


This is an ideal car for a cramped city. Its cabin rotates 180 degrees, after which control is transferred to the wheel axle that is in front. U-turns? Just forget about them. Perhaps this is one of the most maneuverable electric cars in the entire history of the automotive industry.

Interior

From the outside, the Nissan Pivo may seem cramped, but don't rush to conclusions. The three-seater cabin really allows three people to sit comfortably. The driver sits exactly in the center and slightly in front, and behind him are two passenger seats, standing symmetrically on the sides.

The shape of the steering wheel adds even more oddities to this already unusual car. It looks like the steering wheel of a Formula 1 car. At the bottom there is a joystick to control the position of the cabin. Directly behind the steering wheel is a digital instrument panel with a sleek design.

In 2005, the Nissan Pivo concept impressed with its visibility, enhanced by digital technology. If you look closely, you can see video cameras on the stands. They broadcast images directly from the street into the salon in real time. Thanks to this, the driver has a complete picture.

One cannot fail to note such an interesting option as an infrared motion sensor in the cabin. How does he work? It’s very simple – it follows the driver’s gestures. For example, if he smoothly raises his palm up, the multimedia system will increase the sound volume. Accordingly, if down, it will decrease.

Engine

The two-door concept car received two Super Motor electric engines. It would seem like all-wheel drive, but no. At any given time, only one electric motor operates - the one that is located on the steered pair of wheels when the cab is turned.

Since this is the first version of the concept car, there are no specific characteristics of the electric car, but it is unlikely that it is something truly outstanding.

Beer 2

2 years after the release of the first generation Nissan Pivo, the second generation appeared before the public. The new product appeared at the same Tokyo Motor Show in October 2007, surprising visitors not so much. The point is that the basic concept has not changed. This is the same platform on four wheels on which the rotating cabin is installed. But there were also unique updates.


For example, in this version of the Nissan Pivo, each wheel could turn 90 degrees. For this reason, the car could not only turn around on the spot, but also move sideways and even diagonally. Consequently, the maneuverability of the already nimble electric car has increased significantly.

Unlike the first generation, the updated concept has one entrance door. Otherwise, the cabin layout has not changed. There is the same steering wheel with a joystick, three seats - one in the center for the driver and two side passenger seats behind him. The shape of the cabin has changed slightly.

Perhaps the main innovation of the interior in the second generation was the appearance of an assistant with the simple name “Robotic Interface”. There are two cameras installed on the “head” that continuously monitor the driver’s condition. This robot also has additional features:

✅ voice advice regarding driving around the city
✅ systems management, including multimedia
✅ encouraging the driver if he is in a bad mood

The Robotic Interface technology in the original concept supports two languages ​​- Japanese and English. Accordingly, she can recognize voice commands only on them.

What about the chassis?

The Nissan Pivo 2 platform already has four 3D Motor electric motors from Fuji Univance built into it. Accordingly, there is one motor for each wheel, and independently controlled. All of them received a liquid cooling system and are designed for intensive operation.


Each electric motor in the electric car platform produces 528 N*m. The car literally takes off and accelerates to a maximum of 120 km/h in a matter of seconds. The lithium-ion battery, located under the floor of the car, allows you to travel about 100 km on one charge.

It is interesting that during braking, the wheels, which at a particular moment in time play the role of driving wheels, turn towards each other. The friction force increases, and with it the braking efficiency.

Beer 3

The final version of the third generation Nissan Pivo was presented at the Tokyo Salon exactly 4 years after the presentation of its predecessor - in October 2011. This time the car is quite different from previous generations.

At the very least, she lost the 360-degree concept. There is no longer a turning platform, which is why the maneuverability of the electric car has suffered somewhat.


Visually, the Nissan Pivo 3 is quite different from what could be seen before. The design has become more similar to what typical A-segment electric cars look like. Two doors returned, and when opened, they began to slide back again, just like in the first generation.

Like the second version, the “troika” retained rotating wheels with a rotation angle of up to 90 degrees. Due to this, the car can still turn around almost in one place, which was appreciated by urbanists from all over the world. True, the driver can no longer choose the drive axle.

The model received an update in the form of an automatic parking system “Automatic Valet Parking”. It not only parks the car without the driver’s participation, but can also deliver the car from the parking lot itself - the driver only needs to press one button in the proprietary application on the smartphone.


Otherwise, technically the Nissan Pivo 3 is almost identical to the second generation. Here, too, there is one electric motor for each wheel, a battery of the same capacity, the same steering wheel, but without a joystick for turning the cabin. The interior layout remains the same - with three seats.

Conclusion

Why didn't the Nissan Pivo concept take off? If the first two models were indeed too unusual and even futuristic for 2005-2007, then the “troika” looked quite decent and moderately ordinary.

It is impossible to say unequivocally why such an interesting solution was simply forgotten, and it has not been remembered for more than 12 years. All that remains is to admire the courage of Japanese developers, their imagination, and desire to make the urban environment more comfortable.