Technology e-Power from the Nissan Qashqai has been presented as revolutionary, but what are the advantages and disadvantages and, above all, what is e-Power and how does it work?
We talked about it in the video Driving Fjonaclick below to watch it:
Nissan Qashqai: what is e-Power?
The Nissan Qashqai e-Power It’s the f versionull-hybrid of the previous mild-hybrid petrol Qashqai from the Japanese company. At its official launch in October 2022, it was presented as a real revolution for driving on petrol but with the sensation of electric. But is it really like that?
The Qashqai e-Power it features an electric motor, an electric motor and a small 1.8 kWh battery. A standard for auto full-hybrid. But the novelty of the Nissan Qashqai it is the functioning of these three elements. As Fjona also explains to us:
“The coordination of the actors involved is completely different. With e-Power technology it is always and only the electric motor that pushes the wheels. The thermal engine instead generates electricity to recharge the very small 1.8 kWh battery.”
The result? “When you require more power and accelerate more vigorously, the combustion engine will give energy directly to the electric one and then move the car”.
The technical specifications of the Nissan Qashqai e-Power they are very interesting, especially regarding the heat engine. An engine of considerable power which, as Fjona tells us, is unusual on cars full-hybrid of this type:
“The e-Power version of Qashqai has 190 electric HP, while the electric motor is noteworthy because it is a 1500, 3-cylinder with variable pressure. A one-of-a-kind engine, developed years ago by Infinity, a premium Nissan brand that is no longer sold in Europe.”
The goal of e-Power technologytherefore, is to offer maximum performance by exploiting both the electric and combustion engines, while allowing the end customer to enjoy extreme comfort and the sensation of being driving a real electric car:
“It’s more of a thermal, so a little more twist, but less than an electric. It sits right in the middle between the two. Another thing that makes this car look like an electric one is the presence of the e-Pedal button. Once you have pressed it you can drive only with the accelerator, typical of a totally electric car. This allows you to recharge the battery and have additional comfort while driving.”
It is therefore possible to recharge the battery even while driving, using the e-Pedal.
Why choose e-Power technology?
What are the advantages of e-Power technology from the Qashqai full-hybrid? Per Nissan there are basically three and they can be summed up in the electric feeling, efficiency and lower emissions, always from a green perspective.
But does it really deliver everything it promises? Here’s what he explains to us Fjona Cakalli:
“The electric feeling is there, even if there is a bit of marketing. They tell it like “you drive an electric without stopping to recharge”. It’s actually a full-hybrid with an electric feel.
Nissan says that it is possible to travel up to 1000 km on a full tank: with a traditional electric or petrol it is very difficult. If you learn to sail between e-Pedal and petrol and maybe do a little more city riding, I assure you that 1000 km can be done.
The issue of emissions is always a delusion, but we stick to the data. The mild-hybrid petrol version of this Qashqai emits 142g of CO2 per km, while our e-Power version emits 119.”
Source: nissan.it
So what is the final response? Definitely there e-Power technology represents a huge step forward in the world of auto full-hybrid and in the compromise between petrol and electric, and it can be the perfect solution for those who are not yet completely convinced of electric cars. What does Fjona think?
“Is it a revolution or not? No, as I see it it is an evolution of the full-hybrid and is placed exactly in the middle between a full-hybrid and an electric. It is a transition car for those who would like an electric but for one reason or another can’t have it or simply don’t feel ready to make this change.”
Nissan Qashqai e-Power: how much does it cost?
How much does the Nissan Qashqai e-Power cost? The list price starts at approx 37.000 euro, for the basic version. This is, therefore, 2 thousand euros more than the previous mild-hybrid petrol version of the Qashqai.
L‘e-Power can go up to 46.000 euro in the Techna Plus version, which offers all the options made available by Nissan.
The car is available from autumn 2022, while the first deliveries of the model began in September 2023. Nissan Qashqai e-Power 90th Anniversaryto celebrate the birthday of the Japanese company.