nissan and foster + partners to develop the fuel station of the future

nissan and foster + partners to develop the fuel station of the future
all images courtesy of nissan

electric vehicle manufacturer nissan has given a first glimpse of its vision for the ‘fuel station of the future’ in association with architects foster + partners. the teaser features 100% electric nissian ‘leaf’ and a 7kW wireless charging device that could easily accommodate overnight charging for a larger battery pack – like the 500 km, 60kW pack that is currently in development at the company’s research and development headquarters in japan. 

‘as we look ahead at the next 10 years, autonomous cars, artificial intelligence and greater connectivity will come at great pace – and it is our job as architects to inspire and support that change,’ explains david nelson, head of design at foster + partners. ‘pre-empting those developments and integrating technologies to offer urbanites a totally seamless experience is vital, if we are to succeed in creating cities that serve us.’ 

the 7kW wireless charging device

‘we’ve been at the forefront of zero emission mobility since 2010, and for us this project is about inspiring people to come on the journey with us,’ describes richard candler, general manager of advanced product strategy at nissan. ‘the world around us is changing, and we find that tremendously exciting. with the rise of connected cities, there is the capacity for fueling to be built into the very fabric of our day-to-day lives – independent infrastructure could be a thing of the past.’ 

today it was announced that nissan and foster + partners will work together to challenge conventions and offer a fascinating view of how fuelling stations will adapt in a rapidly changing world.

the concept, to be unveiled later this year, will be anchored at the heart of a world that is concerned with a zero-emissions society, connected communities, autonomous drive and the internet of things. it will demonstrate the host of benefits brought by a smart electric vehicle ecosystem – not just in terms of mobility, but in harnessing the potential of battery storage and vehicle-to-grid systems.

‘the aim of our collaboration with nissan is to highlight the magnitude of the challenge that we face in evolving our cities to meet change. new technologies, alternative forms of fuel and changing trends within our society are all having a huge impact on the way we get around.’

‘it seems to be clear that electric vehicles will be a major feature of the urban landscape and, as a result, this presents an exciting opportunity to rethink the fuel station for future generations; a new approach to design will create a more integrated and communal role within our towns and cities. as the leaders in the electric vehicle market, nissan has been critical in providing insight on how the motorists of the future will interact with the built environment.’ – david nelson, head of design at foster + partners

‘our current refuelling infrastructure model is out-dated and faces an uncertain future unless it rapidly adapts to support the changing needs of consumers. by 2020, there will be almost one million EVs on the road, so it is imperative that there is an infrastructure in place to support this growth. this initiative will take the first steps along that road to examine the wider transportation landscape and reimagine the future of mobility, preparing our cities for a more sustainable future.’ – jean-pierre diernaz, director of electric vehicles at nissan

the collaboration to conceive a bold new vision of the fuel station comes as the popularity of electric vehicles continues to increase. sales of nissan EVs rose by 33% in 2014 and continue to climb, driven by the on-going battle to improve urban air quality. adoption of EVs is reaching a tipping point, and projections suggest that current growth trends will only accelerate in pace.

UPDATE: december 9, 2015

this article has been updated with new information and images.