18 January 2024 , 21:00
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This is a very different way of approaching the electric-vehicle dilemma. What if you could have an electric car that would never run out? What if you never had to think about where to charge it, or how soon you'll need to plug it in?
This is the ethos behind Nissan's new e-Power technology, which is essentially a battery-powered EV with a generator built in. And that generator is a remarkably conventional 1.5-litre, three-cylinder engine.
The engine sits under the bonnet, where you'd expect it, but it's not connected in any way to the wheels. Propulsion is provided by a battery. And that battery is charged up constantly by the engine.
Does it work? Sort of. Does it sound familiar? It might, because we've seen this sort of thing before in the Vauxhall Ampera and the humble black cab. But the new Qashqai works differently to those, because it's not that you don't need to plug it in - you just can't.
At the heart of this system is a battery similar to the one you'd find in more conventional hybrid cars but, at 2.1kWh, it might be a bit bigger than some hybrids, but it's very small for an EV. To put it into perspective, Nissan's true EV, the Ariya can be ordered with a 91kWh battery.
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So the e-Power system isn't going to offer you a huge amount of electric-only range, then. But, of course, that doesn't matter, because it's constantly being topped up by the petrol engine.
Going back to my Vauxhall Ampera comparison, for example, all those years ago, it had a relatively big battery of 18.4kWh, and you could charge that up by plugging it into the mains. Yes, the engine would keep it topped up, but it was a plug-in hybrid in every sense of the word.
The Qashqai's battery, though, is very small by comparison. Which means you'll hear a lot of that little engine, especially when you press on. In fact, it sounds and feels a lot like a conventional hybrid with a CVT gearbox when under load, even though it doesn't have gears and the engine revs have no bearing on your speed.
You might be wondering what the point is, then. But there's a bit more to it than meets the eyes. Or ears, in fact. Because, pootling around town, you barely notice that engine. There's active noise cancelling, and it means you usually won't notice it. And that's the clever trick. In the urban sprawl, it really does feel like an EV.
The motor serves up 187bhp, which is surprisingly gutsy, given it's an electric drivetrain. It means it's the fastest Qashqai I've ever tested. It's no sports car, obviously, this is still a crossover in every sense of the word, but it's really nice to drive.
It's nice because it's so refined and effortless. Keep things sedate and you'll forget there's an engine in the equation, and it's just a really calm and serene car.
It's comfortable too. Nissan's interiors are becoming more luxurious with every launch, and the latest Qashqai is no exception. The quality of materials is excellent, and there' some really nice equipment thrown in, especially in the high-spec models.
The 12.3-inch touchscreen, for example, is very well thought out, and it even has Alexa-based voice commands, which can link up to your devices in your house. "Alexa, turn my heating on". Imagine that.
Opting for the e-Power setup adds around £2,000 to the price of a Qashqai, broadly speaking, and because there's only one motor, there's no chance of four-wheel-drive, which is available on the mild hybrid versions.
Drilling in to the rest of the data, Nissan reckons you'll gain about 10mpg with the e-Power model, but that will depend on the type of driving you're doing. Emissions figures drop from around 155g/km to 117g/km, depending on the version.
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Is it worth going for the e-Power option then? I quite like it. It feels like a nice stepping stone into this weird new world of electric cars. You get some of the benefits of going for an EV, without the range anxiety or the charging infrastructure woes.
In some ways, it really doesn't feel like an electric car, and every bit like a conventional hybrid, so you might see it as just another solution to the problem.
Either way, it's a clever system and kudos to Nissan for making it work so well. The Qashqai will always be a big seller, and it's popular for a reason. But now buyers of one of the nation's favourite crossovers have another potentially cost saving option to consider. And that's no bad thing.
THE FACTS
Model tested: Qashqai e-Power Tekna 190
Price from: £39,210
0-60mph: 7.9 seconds
Top speed: 105mph
Power: 187bhp
Economy: 53.3mpg (combined)
CO2: 119g/km