Nissan Qashqai e-Power hybrid SUV due by the end of this year
Hybrid technology will soon be available locally in Nissan's small SUV.
The Nissan Qashqai e-Power – a hybrid-electric variant of the award-winning small SUV – is due to arrive in Australia by the end of 2023, according to a company executive.
Guillame Cartier – regional head for Nissan – told Australian motoring media the Japanese car maker is betting on e-Power technology as a bridge towards full electrification.
Nissan uses e-Power to denote the brand's take on a hybrid-electric vehicle, which uses a different powertrain setup compared to other hybrids.
Instead of having an electric motor that can run alongside – or instead of – a conventional petrol engine, the e-Power system only uses the internal combustion (petrol) engine to generate power for the electric motor, via a small battery.
A 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which has a variable compression ratio and develops up to 115kW, provides the power for a 140kW/330Nm electric motor at the front wheels.
While the rest of the Qashqai range runs from $33,890 to $47,390 before on-road costs, the most expensive variant of the Qashqai e-Power hybrid SUV is expected to have a starting price of more than $50,000.
Nissan claims the Qashqai e-Power will consume 5.3 litres of petrol per hundred kilometres, which is less than a claimed 6.1 litres per hundred kilometres for a Qashqai with the non-hybrid 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine – but is thirstier than an equivalent Toyota hybrid small SUV.
The 2023 Nissan Qashqai e-Power is poised to join the X-Trail e-Power in Nissan's local range of hybrid electric vehicles, alongside its sole electric vehicle offering, the Leaf.