Nissan JUKE bags advanced hybrid

Nissan has released full details of its new 2022 Nissan JUKE Hybrid that will be introduced later this year and is claimed to be capable of driving up to 80 per cent of urban journeys on pure-electric power alone.

Said to deliver a 40 per cent reduction in fuel use around town, the new Nissan JUKE Hybrid combines a 69kW/148Nm 1.6-litre petrol engine with a 15kW starter/generator, a small 36kW/205Nm electric motor and a 1.2kWh battery.

Combined, the system produces 105kW, around 25 per cent more power than the equivalent petrol offering, while delivering a combined efficiency improvement of around 20 per cent.

A development of the same set-up is already used in the Renault Clio E-Tech, with the electric motor and combustion engine channelling its power through an innovative clutch-less transmission that uses dog clutches instead of synchromesh.

Always programmed to start off in electric drive mode, Nissan says the combustion engine features four gears, while the EV mode gets two cogs. Synchronising all the ratios is a pair of additional electric motors.

The result is a car that can average 5.2L/100km and 118g/km of CO2.

Nissan has not released performance figures, but says the JUKE Hybrid can operate at up to 55km/h in pure EV mode.

Along with the normal driving modes, there's also a dedicated EV setting, while the adjustable regenerative braking harvests back energy and can also provide an e-Pedal mode that's similar to one-pedal driving offered in the Nissan LEAF.

The only difference is the JUKE only slows to around 5km/h and doesn't bring the car to a halt.

Helping maximise efficiency, the JUKE Hybrid gets a new front grille that now features an upper plastic strip to reduce the opening for better aero. Radiator grille shutters and a blanked-off area with the front opening are also claimed to reduce drag.

New front tyre spoilers and a set of more slippery 17-inch alloy rims (19-inch alloys are also available), a reprofiled rear spoiler, extra underbody cladding around the rear axle and new Hybrid badges on the front door complete the exterior changes.

Inside, there's a new display to help the owner drive more efficiently when behind the wheel.

Unfortunately, there have been some compromises.

Chiefly, the battery robs 68 litres of boot space, with the luggage compartment volume falling to 354 litres, although space in the second row remains unchanged.

Set to arrive in Europe in the third quarter of 2022, there's no announcement yet on whether the more efficient JUKE hybrid will be offered in Australia.

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