Blog of RENAULT NISSAN Alliance

Big excitement today as Nissan showed off the TeRRA FCEV concept that it's going to bring to the Paris Motor Show later in September.

What's an FCEV I hear you ask? Simple, it stands for Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle. What's a fuel cell then? Even simpler; it's like a battery that uses fuel. You put hydrogen in, it gets combined with oxygen, which generates electricity that goes to turn the wheels and power the car. And the only thing that comes out of the exhaust is water. How? Because if you combine hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O2) you get H2O – water.

You can check out the photos and the reveal video here:

• See all the pictures

The TeRRA is one of the most forward-looking vehicles you'll ever see, but it's not sci-fi, even though it might sound it. Nissan has actually been working on fuel cells since 1996, so the technology is really coming along. Once a hydrogen refueling network is in place, cars like this can go on sale and a zero-emissions motoring future is suddenly a reality. Even the electric motors that power the TeRRA are already proven technology; the one the drives the front wheels is from the Nissan LEAF while the ones in the rear wheels (one for each side) are from the PIVO concepts.

Of course, the first thing you're going to notice about the TeRRA is the styling, which we're calling Modern Toughness. It's meant to reflect Nissan's traditions of making big, tough SUVs (think the X-Trail, Pathfinder and Patrol) but also to take that look and make it more contemporary, less heavy and aggressive.

Inside, you'll find some really radical thinking. Check out the seats! The driver sits front and centre, in the middle of the car, and the three other seats fan out behind in a diamond pattern. All the rear seats fold flat into the floor, so you can fill the TeRRA up with whatever fills up your life; kids, bikes, kayaks, surfboards, whatever.

Finally, there's the instrument panel. Which you can pick up and take home with you. Really? Yes, really. It's a light, high-tech tablet device which docks with the vehicle and displays the main instruments but can also control the vehicle information systems, entertainment and navigation. Pick it up and take it with you and it keeps you in constant contact with your car so that you can have total peace of mind.

The TeRRA will get its public debut at the Paris Motor Show later this month. If you can possibly make it, we'd suggest you go. You won't see anything else as cool and as cutting edge as the TeRRA all year.

• See the press release