1,341-hp Nissan Hyper Force Headlines Wild Concepts in Tokyo
Well, well, look at what Nissan has come up with for the 2023 Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo. The automaker has announced five wild concepts ranging from a family-friendly van to the most radical sports car you can think of, hinting at the brand’s electric future. These are not variations of a single design theme, but rather different visions aimed at different drivers.
Three of the five concepts are physically displayed at Nissan’s booth, while the other two made virtual debuts. The idea is to appeal to young customers—many of whom seem to have lost interest in conventional cars—with stunning and outside-the-box designs.
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Hyper Force
Nissan took everyone by surprise with the introduction of the Hyper Force, a fully electric sports car generating 1,000 kW (1,341 horsepower) and blessed with the company’s e-4ORCE all-wheel drive system. The next GT-R? Don’t get too carried away.
The outlandish carbon fibre body is designed with extreme aerodynamic performance in mind, while the LED lighting signature pays tribute to legendary Nissan sports cars. The interior features a pair of carbon fibre seat shells and a mind-blowing digital dashboard that offers an innovative augmented reality and virtual reality experience.
As a matter of fact, when the vehicle is stopped, the driver can use a special helmet with blind visors for VR that enables entering a gamified driving experience, complete with modes that enable racing against the clock or online racers. By using skeleton visors for AR, the driver can compete against their own friends’ or even professional drivers' digital ghosts on real-world tracks.
Hyper Tourer
At the complete opposite is the Hyper Tourer, a unique family hauler that combines the essence of omotenashi (Japanese hospitality) with various advanced technologies, including autonomous driving. The V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) functionality and high-capacity battery also allows electricity to be supplied to homes, stores and offices while traveling.
Because of the fully autonomous driving capability, the front seats can swivel 360 degrees, allowing front- and rear-seat passengers to have face-to-face conversations. Rear-seat passengers can even use a wearable display to view and operate the navigation and audio on the front centre display.
With the Volkswagen ID. Buzz hitting the market next year, will Nissan follow the lead and launch a production version of the Hyper Tourer? We know a bunch of kids who would go crazy.
Hyper Punk
Another head-turning Nissan concept in Tokyo is called Hyper Punk. It’s a high-riding, fully electric crossover that might foreshadow the next Juke. With short overhangs and massive 23-inch wheels sporting a triangular motif, this is a vehicle that looks ready to tackle the urban jungle and the great outdoors in the same day.
The bold, origami-style exterior features multifaceted and polygonal surfaces, while the tones in the silver paint shift depending on the viewing angle and light source. Also inspired by origami, the cabin puts on a show with onboard cameras that capture the scenery around the car and use AI to convert to manga-style scenery or graphic patterns. The imagery can then be projected on a three-screen display arranged around the driver.
Nissan’s concepts are also available on the online game Fortnite under the name "Electrify the World" for further exploration.