Nissan e-POWER is coming to Australia

Nissan’s e-POWER hybrid technology has been confirmed for Australia, with a launch in 2022. Existing hybrid systems typically power the vehicle with a petrol engine with an electric motor helping to add some power particularly in acceleration.

Nissan e-power collage

With many plug in hybrids, the electric engine plays a bigger role but the internal combustion engine still has a component in directly powering the wheels in certain situations.

Nissan’s e-POWER is more like a diesel electric locomotive. The internal combustion engine’s role is only to charge the batteries.

One of the great advantages of this is that the internal combustion engine can be turned for efficiency within a smaller rev range as it does not have to cope with the large variations in the speed of the vehicle.

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Similar to the LEAF and LEAF e+ EVs, e-POWER vehicles will also benefit from Nissan’s e-Pedal drive experience, with drivers able to accelerate and decelerate using only the accelerator pedal.

The Note, Kicks and Serena remain Japan-market vehicles, and aren’t currently under consideration for Australia.

Second-generation e-POWER technology now pairs the linear acceleration and refined performance of an electric motor that’s of similar size and power output as found in Nissan’s electric vehicles with an upgraded three-cylinder, 1.5-litre turbocharged engine used to charge the lithium-ion battery.

Thanks to the electric motor, there’s no power-delivery delay which can be with an internal combustion engine. The instant response delivers a high-torque feel under acceleration particularly from rest, while lowering fuel use and emissions by only using the petrol engine when at its most efficient.

Nissan e-POWER first debuted on the Japan-only Nissan Note in November 2016, with the model going on to claim the best-selling car in Japan title in 2018. . It would then be joined by the electrified Kicks SUV and Serena minivan, with e-POWER sales surpassing 500,000 units by the end of March 2021.

Motoring Minutes are heard around Australia every day on over 50 radio channels through the Torque Radio networkMotoring Minute has an average daily audience of over 150,000 listeners. That’s over 750,000 listeners a week.

Motoring Minute is also broadcast as part of Overdrive Radio Program, which is broadcast through the Community Radio Network across Australia and has a weekly audience of over 450,000.

About David Brown 607 Articles
David’s boyhood passion for motor cars did not immediately lead to a professional role in the motor industry. A qualified Civil Engineer he specialised in traffic engineering and transport planning. What followed were various positions including being seconded to a government think-tank for the planning of transport firstly in Sydney and then for the whole of NSW. After working with the NRMA and as a consultant he moved to being an independent writer and commentator on the broader areas of transport and the more specific areas of the cars we drive. His half hour motoring program “Overdrive” has been described as an “informed, humorous and irreverent look at motoring and transport from Australia and overseas”. It is heard on 22 stations across Australia. He does weekly interviews with several ABC radio stations and is also heard on commercial radio in Sydney. David has written for metropolitan and regional newspapers and has presented regular segments on metropolitan and regional television stations. David is also a contributor for AnyAuto