Want the feeling of driving a car with a fully-electrified powertrain, but without having to actually plug it in for a recharge?
The new Nissan Qashqai e-POWER might be just the SUV for you.
Available to order in the coming days, the Qashqai e-POWER is a self-charging hybrid that mates a 1.5 litre petrol engine with a powerful 145 kW motor.
So far, so good.
But what’s unique about this new breed of Qashqai is that instead of the engine and electric motor working in sync to power the wheels - as is the case in most hybrids - here the petrol unit is instead used solely to power the electric motor and battery pack.
And what that means for lease customers is that battery power actually turns the wheels.
Why would you want things this way around?
What you get is a full-on EV feel - complete with quiet running and acceleration to quicken the pulse - without ever needing to actually connect to the national grid.
Nissan’s Arnaud Charpentier tells us:
“Customers will love the feeling of driving an EV, but without having to think about charging. e-POWER is a gateway to full EV driving and represents a significant milestone in Nissan’s electrification strategy.”
The pedal response is ‘instant and linear’ when you press your right foot, and Nissan says the system maximises ‘efficiency and driving pleasure’ above all else.
There’s plenty of power - 190 PS of it - which translates to a rapid 0-62mph acceleration time of just 7.9 seconds and considerable torque of 330 Nm.
You can also expect a fuel economy of up to 53.3 mpg, which is, of course, part of the e-POWER appeal.
Nissan has also employed something called ‘Linear Tune’ to make sure there’s no ‘disconnect’ between what the petrol engine is doing and what you’re experiencing in terms of performance and sound - seeing as how the engine isn’t actually connected to the road in a traditional way.
As with most EVs, the Qashqai e-POWER also makes use of something it calls ‘e-Pedal Step’, which essentially means that your right foot can do both the accelerating and the decelerating. Take your foot off the gas and the brakes are slowly deployed - perfect for those stop-start commutes.
Under braking, kinetic energy is captured and funnelled back to the battery.
You can, then, consider the Qashqai e-POWER a sort of precursor to future full-EV ownership, in case you’re not quite ready to join the electric revolution.
Charpentier adds:
“With Nissan’s unique e-POWER technology, we feel that customers will fall in love with the feeling of an electric powertrain, without the range concerns. It’s a powertrain which they will enjoy driving and represents an excellent option to be eco-conscious in their day-to-day life. Overall, the Qashqai e-POWER will appeal to drivers who aren’t yet ready for a pure EV in their lives but do want to be more sustainable and enjoy the fun-to-drive EV feeling day to day.”
Order books open July 5th, and it’s priced from £32,950.00 to purchase outright.
Away from the e-POWER model, the Qashqai can also be enjoyed as an attractive mild-hybrid and can be leased through Select Car Leasing from around£208 per month*.
*Prices include VAT. Credit is Subject to Status, Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply. Excess mileage may apply. Stock levels and prices correct as of 04/07/22.
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