Nissan X-Trail e-POWER

As the world moves towards a zero-net-carbon future, the challenge to transition the automotive industry is a difficult one. Nissan’s e-POWER technology has been designed as the ideal stepping stone. This unique system combines the driving dynamics of an electric vehicle with the range and ease-of-use of a conventional petrol-engined car. Unlike a conventional hybrid, the X-Trail e-POWER is driven solely via electricity, with the on-board petrol-engine used only to recharge the battery or deliver power to the electric-motors. This creates an EV-like drive experience that uses less fuel than an internal-combustion vehicle, and forgoes the need to ever plug-in.

The e-POWER technology is a leap ahead of a conventional hybrid and offers many of the same benefits of a battery electric vehicle, without the concerns over range or recharging that the latter faces. Instead, by utilising the petrol engine as an on-board generator and only running at optimal revs for recharging instead of powering the wheels, the X-Trail e-POWER is able to offer a true best-of-both-worlds solution.

The strength of the e-POWER technology is that it requires no behavioural change for the motorist used to a vehicle with an internal-combustion engine, whilst simultaneously offering a more fuel efficient vehicle. The impact of this breakthrough system could be far reaching, as it will allow motorists to transition to an electrified future with the security of the kind of range and refuelling options currently available, and familiar.

By offering the e-POWER system in the popular Nissan X-Trail SUV, the company is making the technology available to a wide range of consumers in an attractive and versatile vehicle at a competitive price. The e-POWER technology works in tandem with e-4ORCE, another innovation from Nissan. This system uses the front- and rear-mounted electric motors from the e-POWER drivetrain to provide a new type of all-wheel drive. With constant torque redistribution, including torque vectoring side to side, and near-perfect weight balance contributing to reassuring handling and ride comfort, e-4ORCE provides a powerful yet smooth driving experience.