Nissan Leaf Hearse
Photo: Ana Ulin

Over the years, many vehicles have been turned into hearses and put to solemn work. Usually we think of stately luxury brands that are given the duty of conveying the dead to their final destinations; however in the UK one funeral home has turned the zero-emissions Nissan Leaf into a hearse.

The funeral home is called Leverton & Sons, and these custom hearses are built by Brahms Electric Vehicles Ltd. So far, according to Green Car Reports, the company has built three hearses from production Nissan Leaf cars. All three cars were pre-owned before their transformation for the significant price savings (to be fair, Nissan vehicles are built to last, so this is a great idea). The electric car then has the doors on the passenger side (the left side in the UK) removed to be replaced with a large glass pane to allow mourners to see the casket in the vehicle. The only seat in the car is for the driver, and the car is also outfitted with other tools to make placing the casket in the car easier for pallbearers.

One thing we’re not really a fan of in these hearses is the close proximity of the driver to the casket. The casket rests in the vehicle at an angle to accommodate it in the relatively small Nissan Leaf, which means that the casket is quite literally sitting next to the driver, instead of being behind them like in traditional funerary cars. These cars are actually fairly perfect for hearses, though, because their green technology saves money on gas for funeral homes that often make trips to hospitals and cemeteries. It also is a great green option for deceased people and families that made the environment a priority in life.

So far, there is no word that the Nissan Leaf hearse will make its way to the United States, but we hope someone here will take the idea and run with it.

News Source:  Green Car Reports