Manufacturing Biz #2 - Magazine - Page 10
Nissan EV Among World’s Great Transport
Innovations Of The Last 90 Years
T
he world's first mass-market
electric vehicle has secured its place
among some of the world's greatest
transport innovations according to a
survey conducted by Nissan to mark its
90th birthday.
Since the company was founded, on 26th
December 1933, Nissan has established
a storied history of pioneering electric
vehicles, legendary performance cars and
revolutionary crossovers that demonstrate
its own daring spirit of innovation over the
last nine decades.
From the 1947 Tama electric vehicle, via
the LEAF – the world's first mass-market
EV in 2010 – to recently revealed future EV
concepts like the Hyper Punk and Hyper
Urban, the company strives to enrich
people's lives with thrilling journeys and
pioneering technology that help to create a
cleaner, safer and more inclusive world.
To mark its 90 years of automotive success,
Nissan commissioned a OnePoll survey
of 2,000 UK adults to find out people's
opinions on a list of other significant
transport innovations of the last 90
10
years – with the opening of the Channel
Tunnel, Concorde's first flight and the
invention of satnav coming out on top. The
electrification of the London Underground,
the first modern hovercraft and the first
zebra crossing also ranked in the top 30.
Looking to the future, the study
showed that 69 per cent think that
new technologies will play a big part in
reducing the environmental impact of
transportation in this country.
The survey also revealed that 27 per
cent are in favour of introducing artificial
intelligence into the car industry, while 29
per cent hold the same views for public
transport.
With artificial intelligence (AI) becoming
increasingly commonplace in day-to-day
life, Nissan has utilised the technology
to bring its 90-year heritage to life by
imagining transport scenes that compare
the Tama, its first ever electric car in 1947,
to the modern-day Ariya EV.
The Nissan LEAF featured at number 19 on
the list, while EVs specifically were voted as
the innovation that holds the most promise
M A N U FA C T U R I N G B I Z M A G A Z I N E | A P R I L 2 0 2 4
for the future of UK sustainability.
A third of those polled also believe the
motor industry has undergone the most
exciting changes over the past nine
decades - compared to aviation, rail, and
cycling.
More sustainable road travel (38 per cent),
scientific advancement (16 per cent), and
employment opportunities (11 per cent)
were also seen as the biggest opportunities
within the EV industry.
Seventy percent of those surveyed believe
transport innovations have had a positive
impact on their own lives, and 54 per cent
claim it has made travelling easier for
them.
Almost three quarters (71 per cent) agree
it has improved their ability to travel and
commute up and down the country, and
staying connected with family and friends
has become easier for 30 per cent.
What's more, 41 per cent of those polled
have been able to save time on their
journeys, and 43 per cent are able to travel
to longer distance locations thanks to the
various innovations.