Nissan e-Power: SIX Things We Learnt About Nissan’s Unique Electrified Powertrain

It appears ETCM is gearing up to introduce new metal, and it will feature the novel Nissan e-Power electrified powertrain tech.

It looks like local Nissan assemblers and distributors Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) are gearing up to introduce a new range of products – or at least one – soon enough. Key to which is the unique electrified powertrain tech that said metal is set to bring.

Called e-Power, Nissan says this electrified powertrain tech brings all the perks of an electric vehicle (EV) without the typical hassles and inconveniences revolving said drivetrain type.

Ahead of which, ETCM had set up a brief but eye-opening test-session to showcase said e-Power tech. It included the chance to sample it against some of its key series parallel hybrid rivals, and there’s indeed much to garner. Here are SIX key things we discovered during which.

At the base of the e-Power suite is a 1.2-litre 3-cyl petrol mill that's adapted for outright thermal efficiency.

Said mill serves purely as a generator that charges up a compact 2.06 kWh Li-Ion battery pack that juices a front mounted e-motor.

1. It Has An ICE Serving Purely As A Generator Motor

The demonstrator used in our test is based on the first-gen Nissan Kicks sub-compact (B-segment) crossover. This perhaps explains the 1.2-litre 3-cyl petrol mill standing as the base of the e-Power powertrain setup we sampled.

Built and adapted for outright thermal efficiency, said three-banger serves exclusively as a generator motor. Its only job is to charge the compact 2.06 kWh li-Ion type battery pack mounted under the second row seats that juices a front-mounted e-motor driving the front wheels.

By the way, said battery  is also fed with energy recuperated under braking – brake energy regeneration. This, in turn, also enables e-Power-equipped models from Nissan to offer EV-like single-pedal driving mode – or ‘e-Pedal Step’, as Nissan terms it as.

Take note that the ICE mill doesn't drive the wheels directly, with said task done solely by the front-mounted e-motor detailed.

2. ICE Does NOT Drive The Wheels Directly

Under no circumstance does the petrol mill detailed provides direct propulsion or drive – it isn’t connected to a transmission or any of the wheels directly. Instead, the mill solely kicks in to charge the battery, or provide energy to the e-motor indirectly via an inverter.

Clearly, the e-Power setup’s operation is indeed a huge contrast versus a typical series-parallel hybrid or plug-in hybrid types where both electric and combustion power are combined or balanced by a transmission to power the wheels.

Rated at 129 PS and 280 NM, the e-motor provides EV-like silent and torque-rich drive. It also has decent pep, enabling 0-100 KM/H sprints in just 9.5 secs in our demonstrator.

3. It’s A Smooth Operator That’s Also Respectably Rapid

The e-Power setup’s lack of a traditional gearbox noticeably cuts down on vibrations and noise in the cabin. With the e-Pedal Step enabled, it’s also possible to drive mostly in single-pedal mode as the regenerative motor braking gives decent deceleration force whenever the driver lifts off the throttle too.

Rated at 129 PS and 280 NM, the e-motor also provides very smooth acceleration off the line, and it there’s enough here to propel the demonstrator’s claimed 1,350 KG heft up to speeds rapidly – 0-100 KM/H dashes take just 9.5 secs, says Nissan.

Having sampled it against rivalling series-parallel hybrid setups – namely from Toyota and Honda – it’s clear that Nissan’s e-Power setup holds quite the advantage by delivering EV-like torque-rich performance and refined comforts, but there more. 

As you can see, the Kicks-based e-Power demonstrator is devoid of any charging ports.

4. No Plugging-In Required

Arguably the biggest up-side to this tech from Nissan is the fact that it requires no plugging-in, unlike a full BEV or even a plug-in hybrid. This liberates users from having to hunt for a charging point or go through the hassles of accessing which, or even lug around a charging unit and cable.

With each full fill-up of its fuel tank, Nissan touts this Kicks-based e-Power demonstrator yielding up to 900 KM of travel.

5. You Still Need To Fill-Up, Albeit Not As Frequently

Having a combustion (ICE) engine at its base means e-Power users are still required to fill-up with petrol. However, given its thermal efficiency focus, and the fact that it only runs sparingly to charge up the battery, it is also one very frugal mill with ultra-low emissions too.

In fact, Nissan touts that each full fill up of the Kicks-based e-Power demonstrator’s fuel tank can yield travel ranges as high as 900 KM, sipping as low as 4.6 litres/100 KM (21.7 KM/Litre) on average. For perspective, the average urban commuter could only need to fill-up once weekly or bi-weekly. 

ETCM remains coy about when and what model it intends to debut the e-Power tech locally with, but it is coming soon.

6. It’s Coming Soon

Given what we’ve experienced, we’re certain that the Nissan e-Power tech will stand as an appealing alternative, especially in the eyes of those yearning for a taste of fully-electrified mobility sans the hassles associated with which.

The good news here is that ETCM is set to make this alternative available to local consumers soon. However, the firm remains tight-lipped as to when exactly this will happen and, critically, which model and market segment it intends to introduce its novel e-Power tech into.

We’ll have more on the latter once details are made available. In the meantime though, what do you folks reckon? Is the Nissan e-Power tech a good compromise in this electric-crazed age of mobility? Would you be keen to adopt it? Share your thoughts in the comments below…