e-POWER, Nissan’s Strange Hybrid

Contrary to all expectations, Nissan’s electric technology with electricity generator has found its audience in Europe.

Since September 2022, 65,367 Qashqai and 34,663 X-Trail equipped with the e-POWER motorization have been sold in Europe. This Nissan technology is experiencing great success in France with 14,000 units of the Qashqai e-POWER sold since its launch.

What differentiates e-POWER from “classic” hybrids is that the wheels are driven exclusively by an electric motor. The gasoline engine in the e-POWER system is used solely to generate electricity, which is stored in the battery and then powers the electric motor that ensures propulsion. It is this technology that was adopted this year at the Dakar with the Audi RS Q e-tron.

When little energy is needed and the battery is sufficiently charged, the electric motor driving the wheels uses only the energy from the battery. If more energy is required, the thermal engine generates electricity to power the electric motor and charge the battery. When maximum power is needed, the electric motor uses energy from both the thermal engine and the battery. Finally, as soon as possible, the energy regenerated from the vehicle’s movement is sent to the battery.

Furthermore, electricity generation is controlled based on driving conditions. When rolling noises increase due to the road surface and vehicle speed, the thermal engine activates to recharge the battery, thereby reducing the need for it to operate under quieter driving conditions, enhancing onboard comfort.

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