Introducing the seal-mobile: Nissan creates a special Qashqai e-POWER for marine rescue charity
- Apr 9
- 4 min read
Nissan provides a specially adapted Qashqai e-POWER, perfectly engineered to meet the demands of remote coastal rescue operations, to Caithness Seal Rehab and Release.
The vehicle forms part of Nissan's 'e-POWERing Britain's Heroes' initiative, supporting UK charities that deliver essential services in challenging environments.
Nissan has created a one-off, rescue-ready version of its best-selling Qashqai crossover for Caithness Seal Rehabilitation and Release, a busy coastal wildlife sanctuary based near John O'Groats.
The specially-equipped Qashqai, powered by Nissan's unique e-POWER hybrid technology, has become an essential tool for the sanctuary's founders, Phil and Clare Boardman, and their team of volunteers. The charity rescues seal pups that are injured, have been abandoned, or have fallen ill. It restores them to full health, and returns them safely to the ocean. Since its foundation in 2022, more than 130 pups have been nursed and released back into the wild.
Phil and Clare initially had no particular desire to establish a seal rescue facility when they relocated to northern Scotland some years ago, but with Clare's extensive experience in the field of animal welfare, they felt they had to step up. Before they founded their hospital, locally-rescued baby seals faced an arduous trip to the nearest recovery facility in Edinburgh, with many not surviving the journey.
As part of its 'e-POWERING Britain's Heroes' initiative, Nissan collaborated closely with the charity to configure a Qashqai capable of handling remote terrain, unpredictable weather and long-distance callouts. The N-Connecta grade was the perfect match for their needs, with Google Built-in for ease of navigation; ProPILOT assist with Navi-Link for comfort on long journeys; and Around View Monitor for safely making tight manoeuvres.
The car also includes Nissan's latest suite of advanced safety technologies, each one supporting the demands of coastal rescue work. Intelligent Front Emergency Braking with Pedestrian, Cycle and Junction Assist helps keep volunteers safe on narrow rural roads often shared with dog walkers, cyclists and agricultural vehicles. Lane Departure Warning reduces fatigue-related risks during urgent callouts at all hours across long stretches of open road, while Intelligent Cruise Control supports stable and predictable driving during extended journeys to remote bays and coves.
Qashqai e-POWER is prepared for duty
Before arriving in Caithness, the vehicle underwent additional modifications tailored to seal rescue operations. All-season tyres improve traction on rugged coastline tracks and wet, algae-covered slipways. A waterproof bootliner ensures a safe and hygienic environment at the point of rescue. Roofbars were installed to carry emergency stretchers and rescue nets, while a towbar adds further flexibility and comes into its own when seals are released back into the wild from a trailer. Emergency lighting and bold rescue livery ensure the vehicle is easily identifiable during callouts.
For a small charity where every penny counts, the Qashqai e-POWER's outstanding efficiency is a major benefit. Capable of 64.2 miles per gallon and a range of up to 777 miles per tank, it helps significantly reduce operating costs. Nissan further supported the sanctuary with a direct financial donation through the 'e-POWERING Britain's Heroes' programme.
Phil and Clare Boardman often travel long distances across northern Scotland, covering the 100+ mile coastline from Ullapool in the west to Tain in the east, to reach seals in distress. The quietness of the e-POWER system is ideal to create a calm environment for transporting seals, which can become stressed by loud noise.
The vehicle, loaned for four months free of charge, delivers EV-like smoothness with petrol-powered range. The wheels are driven purely by an electric motor, meaning the sanctuary benefits from silent, responsive performance without the need to plug in.
You can discover more about this project here:
Why hybrid is the best option
The sanctuary's founders are committed environmentalists and hope to use fully electric vehicles in the future. However, the vast distances involved – combined with unpredictable callouts – mean that a hybrid provides the most reliable, ready-to-respond solution today.
Clare said: ''The Qashqai e-POWER has been very useful to us here at Caithness Seal Rehab and Release and Nissan have adapted it perfectly to suit our needs. The car is wonderfully quiet so it's ideal for transporting seals and it's really comfortable – a dream to drive in fact!
''As a small charity, we rely mainly on donations from the public. The costs of nursing a seal pup back to full health are considerable so anything that improves our financial position is always welcome.
''Our Qashqai has certainly been helping us reduce our transport costs. It's a very fuel-efficient car, which is important, because we cover large distances when we're picking up seal pups.''
'Very easy to manoeuvre' – supporting rescue and release work
As well as its long journeys with Phil and Clare, the Qashqai regularly undertakes much shorter trips where the EV mode comes in handy. Once a seal is ready for release, it is taken to the slipway at Brough Bay, a few hundred metres from the sanctuary. There, it is coaxed gently back into the ocean with the help of a team of volunteers.
Clare said: ''People sometimes ask whether I feel sad when we say goodbye to our seals. That may have been the case when we founded the sanctuary in 2022, but now I feel glad – those moments are truly special and give us all a chance to reflect on a job well done.
''Our Qashqai e-POWER has been playing an important role for us on release days. It is very easy to manoeuvre in the bay, it makes light work of the treacherous slipway, and, as I have mentioned, it's very quiet, so our seals don't get distressed as freedom beckons. It really is the ideal vehicle for us.''
Cédric Benouarieche, Head of Product Marketing (Passenger Vehicles) at Nissan Motors GB, said: ''Our latest e-POWER technology delivers EV-like refinement with the convenience of petrol and range of a diesel. It's fantastic to see the Caithness team putting the Qashqai to work where it really matters, helping protect Scotland's coastal wildlife. We're proud to support Phil, Clare and their incredible volunteers.”
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