Supporting Nissan’s goal of achieving 50% electrified sales in Europe by 2024, the new Nissan Qashqai will not only be available with a 1.3 DiG-T gasoline engine equipped with mild hybrid technology, but also e-POWER, Nissan’s non-plug-in series-hybrid electric powertrain in its European debut.

The e-POWER system for New Qashqai has been specially developed for the model to meet the rigorous demands of European drivers. Qashqai with e-POWER not only realizes a high level of fuel efficiency and low CO₂ emissions, but also responsive and powerful acceleration.

With both 2WD and 4WD variants, 6-speed manual or new Xtronic CVT transmissions, and pure-electric motor driving courtesy of e-POWER, the all-new Qashqai’s powertrain options cater for every customer requirement with driving pleasure at the heart of all the powertrain configurations.

Customers rightly demand more efficient vehicles, but they also want an enjoyable driving experience. Electric vehicles have the highest satisfaction for driving sensations and customers love the instant torque and continuous acceleration they deliver. By adopting 100% electric motor drive with e-POWER on the new electrified Qashqai, customers can enjoy the benefits of EV driving, without the consideration of range or access to charging infrastructure.

—Marco Fioravanti, Vice President, Product Planning, Nissan Automotive Europe

1.3 DiG-T 140PS/160PS 12V ALiS Mild Hybrid. The 12V ALiS (Advanced Lithium-ion battery System) mild hybrid system available on new Qashqai is a more affordable hybrid technology that provides torque assist, extended idle stop, quick restart and coasting stop [CVT only], with improvements to both fuel economy and CO₂ output (-4g/km).

The positive impact of the mild hybrid’s energy management on CO₂ is competitive and the 1.3-liter engine delivers more power and torque than key competitors. The ALiS mild hybrid system adds just 22kg to the overall vehicle mass.

When decelerating, energy is recovered through regeneration and stored in the Lithium-ion battery. This charged energy is then supplied during Idling Stop, Coasting Stop (CVT versions only) and Torque Assist.

When coasting to a stop, at speeds of less than 18 km/h, and ‘brake on’, the engine will switch off and the stored energy is used to power the vehicle’s electrical equipment. This allows engine stop to be extended and fuel consumption lowered as a result.

When accelerating (between 20 km/h and 110 km/h), the energy in the Lithium-ion battery allows the motor to assist with an additional +6 N·m torque for up to 20 seconds. This helps reduce the torque effort on the engine and improves fuel economy.

The ALiS is mated to the refined and reputable 1.3 DiG-T gasoline engine that was introduced to Qashqai in 2018. This engine has been improved further for new Qashqai with 50 newly designed components and Euro6-d Full compliance.

The turbocharger now features an electrically controlled waste gate for quicker response; new nozzles improve the central injector; reduced friction across a number of components lower CO₂ emissions; and the gas particulate filter features a new substrate and under-floor catalyst.

The 1.3-gasoline 12V ALiS will be offered with two power outputs—140PS and 160PS—with either a 6-speed manual transmission, or new Xtronic CVT gearbox (160PS only). Max engine power arrives at 5500 rpm, with maximum available torque of 270 N·m at a convenient 1750 rpm on 160PS CVT and high power MT variants.

On manual versions the gearbox has been enhanced for a quicker, more direct and sportier shift feeling. The new generation Xtronic CVT transmission offers better fuel economy and acceleration feel due to improvements including a twin oil pump system with new electrical oil pump. The CVT on new Qashqai delivers the best of both worlds, offering seamless driving in the city and during light acceleration, combined with direct connected DCT-like d-step behavior during hard acceleration.

2WD is available on both 140PS and 160PS versions, while 4WD will only be available on 160PS CVT models. A new 4WD control system and driving selection mode is more intuitive and intelligent, adapting itself to external conditions with five driving modes—Standard, ECO, Sport, Snow and Off-Road. In case of any wheel slip, the time which the 4WD system acts has been reduced by a factor of five to around 0.2 seconds.

e-POWER. The new Qashqai brings the first deployment of Nissan’s innovative e‑POWER drive system to Europe. Exclusive to Nissan and a key component in the company’s Intelligent Mobility strategy, the e-POWER system is a different approach to electrification.

The new Qashqai’s e-POWER system consists of a high-output battery and powertrain integrated with a category-leading variable compression ratio 157PS gasoline engine, power generator, inverter and 140kW electric motor of similar size and power output as found in Nissan’s electric vehicles. It combines the enjoyable, seamless linear acceleration which is characteristic of an EV, but without the need for charging.

To meet the typical demands of European consumers and their daily drive, the e-POWER installation has been significantly upgraded for the new Qashqai. Where the application in the Note—Japan’s best-selling car in recent years—is a 1.2 gasoline engine charging the battery unit, and a final power output of 108PS. For Europe it has been upgraded to a 1.5-liter gasoline engine, with a final power output of 140kW (190PS).

The unique element of the e-Power is that the engine is used solely to generate electricity; the wheels are completely driven by the electric motor. This means the engine can always run within its optimal range, leading to superior fuel efficiency and lower CO₂ emissions compared with a traditional internal combustion engine.

Due to the pure electric motor drive, there’s no delay as with an internal combustion engine or traditional hybrid. The instant ‘EV-like’ response delivers exhilarating high torque feel and best level acceleration at different speeds to make overtaking or merging onto a motorway easier and more confidence-inspiring.

There are three driving modes on e-POWER versions: Standard, Sport and Eco. In Standard, the car produces excellent acceleration and lift-off regeneration is tuned to simulate the engine-braking of a conventional petrol vehicle. In Sport mode, the car further improves acceleration response with reduced engine off time, especially in sporty driving scenarios. In Eco, the car goes into fuel-saving mode by optimizing battery management and allowing the driver to select a coasting model for economical highway driving. In all modes an additional B mode can be selected which increases the energy recuperation at lift-off, slowing the car more efficiently without the use of the brake pedal.

The new Qashqai with e-POWER not only accelerates quicker than hybrid rivals, but does so with a lower engine RPM. The system operates very quietly, much like a full EV, and is tuned for the best level of quietness and connected feeling when accelerating, due to a focus on keeping relationship between engine RPM and road speed connected.

Similar to the LEAF, the new Qashqai e-POWER benefits from an entirely new ‘one pedal’ driving experience called e-Pedal mode. Drivers can start, accelerate and decelerate using only the accelerator pedal, supporting up to 90% of driving scenarios.

In stop-and-go urban driving conditions, e-Pedal mode significantly reduces the need to move your foot from one pedal to the other by providing up to 0.2G of deceleration when lifting off the accelerator. This makes driving simpler and more relaxing. In order to optimise e-Pedal for parking maneuvers, creep has been added and the brake pedal must be used to stop the vehicle. On open, winding roads, e-Pedal provides a more engaging drive while reducing the need to depress the brake during cornering.

Drivers can monitor the energy flow of e-POWER on the 12" TFT meter to check the system state.

Nissan’s e-POWER system was introduced to the Note and Serena models in Japan. An immediate success in terms of customer popularity, more than 70% of Note sales and almost half of Serena sales in the country are e-POWER versions. Indeed, the recently launched Nissan Kicks compact SUV equipped with e-POWER has just been awarded the 2021 Technology of the Year award by the Automotive Researchers’ and Journalists’ Conference of Japan.

Sales of the new Nissan Qashqai equipped with e-POWER will begin in 2022.