New Nissan Qashqai e-Power gets boost in efficiency and power
Upgraded electrified tech for the Nissan Qashqai e-Power brings some punchier power and more frugal fuel economy...
On sale September Price from £37,000 (est)
The Nissan Qashqai can be described as a pioneer in two different ways: not only is it the car credited with starting the family SUV trend that swept the market, but it also stands out with its unique take on electrified tech that you don’t have to plug in at all.
What makes the Qashqai e-Power unusual is its different approach to electrification. It features a 1.5-litre petrol engine which exists solely to charge a battery — which powers an electric motor that drives the front wheels. The result is instant electric car acceleration without the hassle of plugging in.
Thanks to a mid-life refresh, that electrified tech has been overhauled, providing boosted efficiency and more power.
The electric motor is now both smaller and lighter, and improvements to its calibration have boosted power by an additional 15bhp, for a total of 202bhp. That’s still not quite as punchy as a Kia Sportage full hybrid, which pumps out 212bhp.
While the engine remains a 1.5-litre unit, it's all new. It's more efficient, too, thanks in part to a larger turbocharger, which allows the engine to take in more air.
That switch, among various other technical improvements, is said to have improved the car's fuel economy by as much as 16% – translating to an official 62mpg figure, or a combined petrol and electric range of up to 745 miles. For reference, the Sportage HEV can officially manage 49.6mpg.
Alongside the technical updates, the Qashqai also gets some improvements to its Google-based infotainment system. Those include improved voice commands to Google Assistant, access to additional apps on the Google Play store and the ability to see the weather forecasts at planned destinations.
The new Nissan Qashqai e-Power will be available from September. No prices have been revealed yet, but we expect they’ll start slightly higher than the current e-Power model. That means it could start at around £37,000, which is only marginally more than what you’d pay for a full hybrid Sportage or Hyundai Tucson in entry-level trim.
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