The Qashqai has been Nissan’s number one success for years and so it is not surprising that there is a lot to do with the arrival of the third generation. The Qashqai is now always electrified, that was already known. Now we can also show you the powertrains of the new Nissan Qashqai in detail.
Highlights
- 190 hp and 330 Nm strong electric motor for e-Power powertrain
- e-Power gets innovative 1.5 petrol engine with variable compression
- 1.3 petrol engine in two power versions
- Adjustments to Xtronic CVT and six-speed manual transmission
The new Qashqai is the first European Nissan to feature on the new CMF-C platform of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. That base is already used in the United States by the larger Nissan Rogue, which will eventually come to Europe as the X-Trail. That new modular platform opens the gates to a series of very interesting powertrains for the 4.43 meter long Qashqai. The Qashqai is now always electrified. There is no longer a diesel engine.
The absolute eye-catcher on the engine side is of course Nissan’s e-Power powertrain. Although the Nissan Qashqai e-Power is electrically powered in all cases, there is a petrol engine on board that supplies the 2 kWh battery pack with energy when the engine requires it. You will not get very far on pure electric power, Nissan says that the electric range is only 1 to 2 kilometers without support from the petrol engine. The electric motor is 190 hp and 330 Nm strong and drives the front wheels in all cases, a four-wheel drive option is not available in this case. Average combined consumption should be 5.3 l / 100 km, according to Nissan.
What is the advantage of the e-Power powertrain compared to, for example, a plug-in hybrid powertrain? The electric motor responds just as directly to the accelerator as in a fully electric car. You do not have noticeable transitions when switching between the petrol and electric motor, such as with regular hybrids. With this e-Power drivetrain you also benefit, at least on paper, from a linear acceleration that is characteristic of an EV. But there are more advantages, according to the manufacturer. The control of the petrol engine is fully controlled by the car itself, which means that the power source always runs at the most efficient speed possible, which of course reduces consumption. That petrol engine is not just any block from Nissan’s stable. It is a brand new 157 hp 1.5 turbo engine that is derived from the 2.0 with variable compression that Nissan presented a few years ago. So a first. Those who are used to the e-Pedal principle of the Leaf, among others, do not have to leave the Qashqai e-Power. Above 10 km / h you can also have the Qashqai accelerate or slow down ‘with one pedal’.
Mild Hybrid
Lower on the menu, Nissan also puts a petrol engine that is available in two power variants. It concerns a further development of the Renault, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz 1.3 that is well-known in the new Qashqai and is always equipped with a 12v mild hybrid system. The system, which adds some 22 kilograms of vehicle weight, can store energy recovered during coasting or braking in a small lithium-ion package, which can be used during acceleration and between 20 km / h and 110 km / h during maximum 20 seconds 6 Nm extra pulling force. The Qashqai with automatic transmission, to which we will return later, is thanks to the system able to switch off the engine at a speed of 18 km / h during the roll-out.
Nissan Qashqai
The basic engine is the 140 hp and 240 Nm power source that is always linked to a manual six-speed gearbox. This engine is only available in combination with front-wheel drive. The more powerful variant of this mild-hybrid 1.3 DIG-T machine, in combination with a manual six-speed gearbox, delivers 158 hp and 260 Nm. However, Nissan also links this engine variant to its Xtronic automatic transmission, a CVT transmission that simulates the presence of gears when the accelerator pedal is pressed more than halfway. Nissan calls this technology ‘D-step’ and thanks to the arrival of an electric oil pump in addition to the existing mechanical oil pump, it is able to change ‘gear’ faster.
If you choose the Qashqai with Xtronic automatic transmission, you also have 10 Nm extra on paper. This 158 hp and 270 Nm strong Qashqai with Xtronic gearbox is the only engine and gearbox combination where four-wheel drive is also available if desired. The Xtronic transmission already existed in the Micra, among others, but has been further improved for the Qashqai. Nissan has also not forgotten the manual gearbox and promises that this transmission shifts more directly than the one in the current Qashqai.
e-Power
Although Nissan’s e-Power powertrain is completely new in Europe, the brand has been applying the concept in Japan for several years. The Note was the first Nissan to receive the system, currently MPV Serena and compact crossover Kicks are also available with an e-Power system. However, the e-Power powertrain existing in Japan is a lot less powerful than the system in the Qashqai. The Note and Kicks, for example, have to do with an electric motor of 130 hp and an 85 hp 1.2 petrol engine. Incidentally, Nissan scores well with it. Since the launch of the e-Power powertrain in the Note, more than 70 percent of Notes sold in Japan have this powertrain. For the Serena this percentage is about 50 percent.
Nissan Note (e-Power)
More Qashqai
Want to know more about the new Nissan Qashqai? Then keep an extra close eye on Techzle in the coming weeks. Earlier we wrote about the new platform and the safety systems and we have also discussed the interior in detail. The unveiling of the new Qashqai will not be long in coming.