"We know that potential customers for Qashqai e-POWER will spend nearly three-quarters of their time driving in urban and suburban environments. Consequently, we've developed the e-POWER system to run as efficiently, effectively and quiet as possible in those circumstances. But there is no compromise to the driving performance. Acceleration is instant, thanks to the pure electric drive to the wheels, and there is no gearbox to interrupt the power delivery," said David Moss, Senior Vice President, Region Research & Development, Nissan Technical Centre Europe
Variable compression ratio technology
At the heart of Nissan's unique e-POWER system is a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-charged variable compression 156hp petrol engine which has been developed specifically for this application. First used by Nissan's premium brand Infiniti, the engine's variable compression capability is a unique feature in an internal combustion engine and allows it to adjust compression ratio, giving both optimum performance and economy depending on the engine load. Ahead of its first introduction in 2018 with Infiniti, it was listed as being among the world's 10 best engines by Ward's, a US-based automotive consultancy.
The variation in compression ratio ranges between 8:1 and 14:1. This is achieved by the movement of an actuator which changes the length of the piston stroke according to the demand for power.