European-market Nissan Qashqai with e-Power is in the works

MANILA: The Qashqai crossover will be Nissan's first model to be powered by e-Power in Europe, the carmaker said in a release.  

The e-Power is Nissan's branded electrified drivetrain. In the Qashqai, it is assisted by an internal combustion engine, which aims to reduce emissions and fuel consumption. 

In the Qashqai e-Power, the system is comprised of a high-output battery, a 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, a power generator, inverter, and 140kW electric motor.

Nissan said that the petrol engine generates and sends electricity to the battery pack and electric motor. With the petrol engine only supplying the battery charge, the electric drivetrain becomes the car's sole main source of power. 

As a result, the Qashqai e-Power delivers efficient fuel consumption, reduced CO2 emissions and engine noise, Nissan claimed. 

Meanwhile, the Qashqai e-Power's 1.5-liter engine features variable compression ratio, which ranges between 8:1 and 14:1. 

During low power demand scenarios, the engine's compression ratio will be at the higher range which optimizes consumption and emissions, Nissan explained.

Under high demand for power, to charge the battery or supply power directly to the motor, a lower compression ratio will be activated which will maximizes the engine’s power output. 

Similar to the Leaf, the Qashqai e-Power will be equipped with one-pedal driving function.

The function can apply automatically apply the brakes when the driver decreases pressure on the throttle, and charges and increases range of the battery with the energy used during braking. 

Nissan added that the e-Power technology is ideal for those who are unable to charge a full EV in urban environments, or those who will transition to EVs in the future. 

Nissan’s research has shown that European crossover consumers spend more than 70% of their time driving in urban and suburban environments. 

Photos from Nissan

Also read: Nissan introduces a hybrid version of the Juke