Nissan X-Trail e-Power e-4ORCE confirmed for Australia for 2023 as SUV to take on hybrids, EVs
The Nissan X-Trail e-Power hybrid SUV has been revealed – and it’s coming to Australia early in 2023.
The e-Power will not only have top-selling hybrids in its crosshairs but also the entry-level of the EV market that is currently booming – led by Tesla.
As the covers were ripped off the latest addition to the expanding e-Power family, Nissan Australia confirmed it plans to initially sell only dual-motor all-wheel drive versions of the innovative hybrid mid-sized SUV.
The first examples if what is known as the e-Power e-4ORCE are due early in 2023, months after the all-new X-Trail lands Down Under.
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The e-Power hybrid X-Trail uses two electric motors – one each for the front and rear wheels – versus the single electric motor and two-wheel drive system for the soon-to-arrive Nissan Qashqai e-Power (the X-Trail e-Power will be offered in single motor, front-wheel drive guise overseas, but Australia is only taking the dual-motor, all-wheel drive models).
The X-Trail e-Power e-4ORCE gets a 150kW/330Nm front motor combined with a 94kW/195Nm rear motor. The two can combine to produce up to 157kW.
Nissan doesn’t quote a combined torque output but says the two motors cannot produce their peaks at the same time.
Instead, the higher outputs allow the car to more actively vary the drive split between front and rear wheels depending on conditions. If the front or rear wheels require more traction then more drive can be sent to them almost instantaneously, with engineers claiming a reaction time of 1/10,000th of a second.
The variable torque split system allows up to 95.5 percent of drive to be sent to the front wheels and 63.7 percent to the rear wheels.
Under the bonnet is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo engine with variable compression ratio technology for efficiency benefits.
As with all e-Power vehicles, the electric motors are the only thing driving the wheels and the petrol engine acts only as a generator to provide electricity to a battery pack under the front seats; in the case of the X-Trail the battery capacity is 2.1kWh.
Claimed fuel use in Europe is 6.3 to 6.4 litres per 100km (measured to the WLTP cycle) while Australia’s less realistic standards are expected to yield a fuel consumption figure of 6.1L/100km.
While that’s higher than its most obvious rival, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (4.8L/100km in AWD guise), Nissan claims there are other benefits. The company says the e-Power system offers an EV driving experience with an ICE car refuelling experience – albeit using less fuel than an ICE vehicle.
“We’re confident customers will love its unique combination of electrified performance, confidence inspiring handling and robust practicality,” says Nissan Australia managing director Adam Paterson. “It will offer unique customer appeal. We can’t wait to see it in our showrooms.”
The X-Trail e-Power e-4ORCE also offers decent performance. Acceleration to 100km/h is claimed to take 7.0 seconds. It will also be able to tow up to 1650kg.
While the X-Trail e-4ORCE will be offered internationally in five- and seven-seat configurations, Australia will only be getting five-seat models. And they’ll only be coming in more highly-specified Ti and Ti-L trim levels.
While pricing is yet to be announced, we can have some educated guesses. The soon-to-arrive new X-Trail Ti (non-e-Power) starts at $49,990 before on-road costs and the e-Power drivetrain will be positioned as a premium proposition. A circa-10-percent price premium for e-Power in the UK suggests it could sneak in at less than $55K in Australia before on-road costs. As with the 2.5-litre petrol-powered ICE version, expect the Ti-L to command a $3000 premium.
Still, Nissan believes the X-Trail e-Power will prove popular in the local market.
“For Australia there is no restriction (on supply) today,” said Nissan’s global head of product marketing Adrien Levesque referencing the supply chain challenges that have created delays and waiting lists for car makers around the world.
“We believe in terms of (sales) potential (for e-Power) it’s huge. We have definitely a focus on the Australian market, it’s a very important market for us.”
Key to that will be the EV driving experience. Nissan claims e-Power provides a no-compromises EV experience, with all the benefits of electric motor drive but no need to charge.
Cynics may suggest there is a compromise because the car runs only on petrol and cannot be recharged externally. So the zero-emissions potential of EVs – including Nissan’s own Ariya that still doesn’t have a launch date for Australia – is not achievable.
Still, the X-Trail e-Power arrives at a time when hybrid demand is running hot; buyers are queuing to own the RAV4 Hybrid.
