New Nissan QASHQAI to debut e-POWER tech in Oz

Nissan has confirmed its unique e-POWER drivetrain will come to Australia next year – and it will almost certainly debut in the third-generation Nissan QASHQAI due for local release in March 2022.

It’s not clear whether the range-extending hybrid powertrain will be available from the launch of the new QASHQAI, most versions of which will come with a new 1.3-litre DiG-T four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine without the 12-volt mild-hybrid system fitted as standard in Europe.

Replacing the outgoing QASHQAI's long-running 106kW/200Nm naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre petrol four, the new turbo four (already seen in a number of Renault and Mercedes-Benz models here) will deliver 110kW and about 260Nm, but will no longer be available with a manual transmission.

But the QASHQAI's e-POWER drivetrain, which will almost certainly also become available in the larger new Nissan X-TRAIL, delivers more torque, lower fuel consumption and emissions and an EV driving experience by incorporating a range-extending engine that acts only as a generator.

Nissan Australia has previously committed to electrify 30 per cent of its model range by the end of 2022. The all-new mid-size SUV arrives Down Under by mid-2022, following the early-2022 release of both the new QASHQAI small SUV and the seven-seat Pathfinder large SUV, which will again be offered with hybrid power.

First revealed in 2016 and explained in this video, e-POWER hybrid tech is already available overseas, in the Nissan Kicks, Serena and Japan’s top-selling Note, equipped with a 1.2-litre petrol engine.

But that will grow for the second-generation e-POWER system in the new Nissan QASHQAI, which will not only be bigger and bolder but will bring improved infotainment, driver assistance and comfort technologies including a bigger 9.0-inch central touch-screen, 10.8-inch head-up display, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and massaging front seats.

Although specifics are yet to be confirmed for Australia, in Europe the Nissan QASHQAI e-POWER combines a larger variable-compression 113kW 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine with a 140kW electric motor (similar to the one in the LEAF EV) and a high-output lithium-ion battery, power generator and inverter.

System outputs are 140kW of power and 330Nm of torque – more than the 116kW output expected from the QASHQAI’s standard 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine, which will be matched with ax Xtronic CVT auto and the option of front- and all-wheel drive. Europe’s six-speed manual option may not make it here.

Unlike plug-in hybrids and the parallel hybrid systems used by Toyota, e-POWER is a range-extender hybrid system in which the petrol engine acts only as a generator to recharge the battery, which in turn powers an electric motor to drive the front wheels

The result, says Nissan, is more torque and more instant torque delivery, plus the same smooth, seamless and quiet acceleration you’d get from an EV, without the need for charging.

As with the all-electric Nissan LEAF, the e-POWER system also offers e-Pedal driving (ie: without brakes most of the time) by decelerating at up to 0.2g when taking your foot off the accelerator pedal.

So far no fuel consumption, CO2 emissions or driving range data is available, so it’s unclear how Nissan e-POWER models will compare with Toyota’s self-charging hybrid systems in terms of efficiency.

“We call e-POWER a best-of-both-worlds solution, offering a driver the key benefits of an EV drive experience without ever having to plug in,” said Nissan Australia managing director Adam Paterson.

“Nissan prides itself on delivering Intelligent Mobility solutions in every vehicle, and nowhere is that more obvious than with this Nissan-exclusive solution.

“While a traditional hybrid adds battery power to an internal-combustion engine, e-POWER delivers an EV-like driving experience, including exhilarating acceleration and near-silent operation, all while drastically reducing your fuel use and emissions.”