Hurricanes, flash floods, earthquakes, land slides, tornados – all natural disasters that interrupt normal life and put people in hard situations. First responders and search and rescue team members have the job of finding and saving people caught in Mother Nature’s way. Nissan, at the 2016 Hannover Motor Show, debuted a concept truck build specifically for the rigors of search and rescue. It’s based on the Navara pickup, and it’s called the EnGuard Concept.

Nissan started with a conventional Navara Double Cab Tekna and added features to nearly every square inch. It’s all done in an effort to make search and rescue operations safer and more efficient, saving time and lives.

Included is a DJI Phantom 4 drone that remotely sends a video feed to foldout monitors in the cargo bed. Nissan also developed a portable battery supply designed to power rescue equipment with zero emissions and no flammable fuels. The battery pack is charged by the truck’s turbodiesel engine and can be easily carried into harms way.

Aside from the headline-leading tech, Nissan also gave the EnGuard Concept some old-fashioned upgrades. A two-inch suspension lift and meaty tires allow the truck to traverse rough terrain. A winch provides an insurance policy should the truck get stuck. It can also be used to lower rescuers into ravine or to pull debris off roadways.

There are plenty of other goodies packed onto this truck, so keep reading for more.

Continue reading to learn more about the Nissan Navara EnGuard Concept.

Exterior

Starting with a standard Navara, Nissan added several exterior improvements that make the EnGuard Concept worthwhile. First a two-inch suspension lift gives the truck a higher ground clearance for off-road terrain and for fitting larger off-road tires sized in 285/75-R16. Thick fender flares protect the paint and keep the truck’s wider track legal. Up front, an integrated winch hides behind the stock-looking bumper. Frame-mounted recovery points flank the winch on either side, offering a secure tie-down point. Up top, a streamlined engine breather feeds clean, dry air into the engine’s intake.

The roof features an innovated gadget that includes LED warning lights on all four sides for 360-degrees of coverage. Trailing down from the roof are sail panel compartments for storing rescue gear. The plastic panels seamlessly integrate into the tonneau cover, which itself is a huge topic in itself.

The hard-shell cover comes with Nissan’s bedrail tie-down cleats for securing cargo above the bed. Open the tailgate, and a two-shelf storage rack is custom-fit to hold a variety of rescue gear from carabineers and fire extinguishers to oxygen tanks and those battery packs. Other gear includes two-way radios, flashlights, helmets, ropes, trail recovery gear, and that Phantom 4 drone.

In conjunction with the drone, Nissan incorporated two large TV monitors for viewing the drone’s live video feed. The screens electronically rise from the bed walls, facing outward just behind the rear wheels. This gives rescuers a large, unobstructed view of the disaster area. The three-pound Phantom 4 is capable of flying to nearly 20,000 feet in altitude, has a maximum airspeed of nearly 45 mph, and can fly for 30 minutes on a single charge.

Just ahead of the TV monitors are two electrical ports that operate with the two removable battery pack systems. The batteries use the same type of battery technology found in Nissan’s electric vehicles like the Leaf and e-NV200. Each weather-proof battery pack offers 2.0 kW of power. Nissan says rescuers could use the battery packs inside an enclosed space such as a building or cave without the worry of exhaust fumes like a portable generator. When not in use, the batteries are charged by the Navara’s engine.

Lastly, the body features florescent green accents, which Nissan says, has been proven to be the most visible color in daylight and easily recognizable by those with color blindness. It’s all in an effort to make the EnGuard Concept highly visible.

Interior

Nissan reworked the color scheme inside the EnGuard concept, but mostly for function. Like real-world rescue vehicles, specific colors were chosen to make usability much simpler. The metallic accents in the cabin were swapped out for black accents, except for the chrome door handles. That’s so exiting personnel can quickly spot the handle on the door panel. The door pockets and storage compartments also have florescent green liners, making it super easy to see what’s stored inside.

Like the standard Navara, the EnGuard comes with Nissan’s 360-degree camera system with its in-dash display. This helps increase the maneuverability of the truck without the need for a spotter, thus potentially cutting down on drive time. Of course, the system also comes with satellite navigation, satellite radio, and other useful apps.

Drivetrain

Powering the Navara EnGuard is Nissan’s 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel. The engine makes 188 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque – plenty enough for moving the mid-sized pickup around. The truck is even rated to tow 7,716 pounds on its frame-mounted hitch. The engine uses a twin-turbo setup for generating boost. The engine is mated to a seven-speed automatic that sends power through a two-speed transfer case to either the rear wheels or all four wheels when 4WD is engaged.

Nissan also outfitted the suspension system with upgraded nylon bushing for improved ride and handling off the beaten path. That’s in addition to the two-inch suspension lift given for better ground clearance. Helping the engine breath easier, a high-rise air intake is used to pull fresh air from further off the ground. It also helps the Navara ford water at depths that would otherwise induce hydrolock.

Like its civilian counterpart, the Navara EnGuard rides on a ladder frame with a solid axle out back suspended by leaf springs, while the front gets independent wishbones with MacPherson struts. The combination gives the truck smooth handling on the road, strong load-carrying capabilities, and good suspension travel in off-road situations.

Conclusion

Nissan’s Navara EnGuard Concept is an awesome exercise in functionality and aftermarket integration. Nissan designers and engineers have paired the most commonly used rescue tools and the latest in drone technology to a up-rated pickup with a suspension lift and upgraded parts, a recovery winch, and bigger tires for a competent vehicle ready for search and rescue duty.

While this truck isn’t going into production, it does showcase what Nissan is capable of and all the ancillary ideas its design team can cook up. The twin battery packs, for example, have the potential to be real-word applicable, with search and rescue missions being a legitimate use. Other gadgets, however, like the pop-up TV screens, won’t likely find use on a commercially available search and rescue truck.

Nevertheless, the Navara EnGuard is a cool concept truck that warrants a close look. Be sure to check out the full bank of photos in the gallery above.