It’s a concept car from the Nissan Design Center (NDC) in Japan and Nissan Design Europe in the UK. With the aid of world-renowned marine biologist and underwater photographer Dr Alex Mustard, they created something for the roving professional. An IT-ready office, storage vehicle and living quarters all in one.

The sliding cargo pod reveals Mustard’s underwater cameras and lights for his photography plus scuba diving equipment such as wet suits, flippers, masks, air tanks and breathing apparatus. He even takes an underwater scooter for recognisance trips beneath the surface.

He carries with him computer equipment for downloading his digital images once he resurfaces and he needs mobile communication equipment to send the images to clients or research centres.

Naturally he needs a change of dry clothes and if he is planning on being out on an expedition for more than a few hours, he needs food, water and perhaps somewhere to sleep.

As far as Dr Mustard is concerned such a vehicle has been nothing more than a dream… until now. One of the stars of Nissan’s stand at October’s Tokyo Motor Show is the Nissan NV200, a concept for an entirely new sort of small van that answers all the marine biologist’s needs.

As the pod is withdrawn from the van, the area left behind is transformed into a mobile office and IT dock. A computer table drops down from the side of the van to reveal two LCD screens upon which images can be edited. The front passenger seat swivels backwards on a single curved rail to face the table.

A shockproof briefcase made from rugged ribbed plastic houses a laptop. When not in use, it docks into a side of the van beneath the worktable. A magnetic clipboard is attached to the opposite wall of the workspace, while moveable storage boxes are mounted in all three doors.

Natural light for the work surface comes from a small side window above the bank of screens and from a large domed skylight in the roof of the van. In tropical climates, the skylight can be diffused to prevent a build up of heat within the interior.

The end of the pod facing the inside of the van - it forms a bulkhead behind the front seats when the pod is not deployed - has hanging space for dry clothes. It also houses a small refrigerator, an extending sink unit and first aid kit. Nissan NV200’s tanks hold enough water to supply a shower, fitted on the outside of the pod, to allow diving equipment to be washed after use.

Power for the computer, shower, ‘fridge and other electrical fixtures comes from a small generator housed within the van. This, in turn, is charged by solar panels situated on the roof of the pod.

When the pod is deployed, the solar panels are directly exposed to daylight. But even when the pod is pushed back into the van, the panels line up beneath the skylight. In this way, power can be generated in daylight hours whether the vehicle is stationary or not.

A two-man tent - accessed from outside Nissan NV200 - is housed at the base of the B-pillar behind the driver’s door, while fillers for fuel and water are housed within the opposite B-pillar. The driver and passenger doors open conventionally, while access to the workspace is via a single sliding door on the passenger side.

The cockpit area reflects form and function. The skeletal aluminium seat frames are covered in a washable contoured material similar to the fabric used in sports shoes, with a 3D texture for extra grip.

Large open storage areas run the width of the van beneath the instrument panel and control cluster. Sensors within the storage zones detect movement and illuminate the entire area as soon as a hand or an object is placed in or near the shelves.

With no centrally mounted rear view mirror needed, its location has been filled by a small colour TV screen. A rear-facing camera - a familiar Nissan feature that up until now has been used as solely a reversing aid - projects the view behind the van to the screen at all times.

Above the front seats is a glass panel incorporating a wave pattern. It bathes the interior in a diffused light, while any outside movement casts shadows in the cabin that resemble life under water.

Nissan NV200 also features an environmentally friendly clean diesel engine. It is equipped with a number of safety systems based on Nissan’s *Safety Shield concept, including Back View Monitor and Distance Control Assist System.