Nissan’s Clever e-Power Hybrid Is Finally Coming to the U.S.

E-Power: Finally Coming to America

Nissan‘s e-Power was, and still is, a pretty clever bit of tech. It’s one of the first range extenders to reach production when it was introduced in the Note e-Power way back in late 2016. Since then, that piece of kit has spread across several Nissan models, from sedans, crossovers, and even minivans.

The e-Power tech has also made its way in several markets, but America has been missing out on it for years. But, finally, nearly a decade after it debuted, it’s finally coming to market soon. It’s the Rogue that gets it first, although Autoblog was invited to try out the system in a Euro-spec Qashqai, and the first impressions were promising.

A Second Potential e-Power Model Appears

It makes sense to give the Rogue that hybrid system stateside. Its Japanese/global version, the X-Trail, has had it for years already. But if Nissan wants to expand its e-Power portfolio in the U.S, it needs a second model – and a hot seller at that – to keep things interesting.

Now, a report from Japan has mentioned that the new-generation Kicks will be the next recipient of the e-Power hybrid system. It did come from Best Car, and the publication does have a tendency to, er, stretch the truth. However, there are alleged spy shots of the car, so at least there is some sort of concrete evidence to support the claim.

It’s Not the First-Ever Kicks e-Power

If true, it’s actually not the first time the Nissan Kicks has been powered by an electrified powertrain. In Japan, China, and Southeast Asia, the first-generation model (now called Kicks Play in America) has an earlier version of e-Power under its skin. It’s been a proven success so far, and is one of Nissan’s top-selling models in its home market.

It uses a 1.2-liter engine solely as a generator to provide a charge to the batteries. Energy is then sent to the front wheels via a single-speed reduction transmission (no CVT here, folks), although an all-wheel drive version is also available in Japan. Total output is rated at 134 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque, regardless of drivetrain.

New-Gen e-Power

The new generation of e-Power features a larger 1.4-liter or 1.5-liter turbo engine, depending on application. Again, the sole purpose of the engine is to serve as a generator only. It also gets a larger battery pack, along with more enhancements to boost efficiency and improve driving feel. It’s already applied in several Nissan products, such as the aforementioned X-Trail and Serena minivan.

Should the latest Nissan Kicks get the new system, it’s possible that it’ll use the one with a 1.4-liter instead of the boosted 1.5-liter. The 1.4-liter is used in the Serena, and that one makes 161 hp and 232 lb-ft. It’s a tad better than the 2.0-liter in the crossover right now, which makes 141 hp and 140 lb-ft.

It sounds like a promising product for the U.S market, given that there aren’t a lot of options for a hybrid subcompact crossover around. Hold your horses, though, as we have to wait for the Japanese market to get the new Kicks in the first place before we know the odds of it coming to America.