Nissan’s emblem is illuminated on a prototype of its new all-electric Ariya crossover. Nissan’s Z Proto efficiency automotive is mirrored within the automobile’s grille, whereas a redesigned Nissan Pathfinder SUV sits within the background.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
Nissan Motor plans to introduce a brand new kind of hybrid to the U.S. market that drives like an all-electric automobile however is powered — not pushed — by a conventional gas-powered engine.
The brand new Nissan “e-Energy” known as a sequence hybrid. It makes use of the engine as a generator to energy the automobile’s electrical motors that then propel the automobile. It operates like rising extended-range electrical automobiles, or EREVs, however has a smaller battery and would not require a plug.
It is also completely different from a conventional hybrid, such because the Toyota Prius, as a result of the fuel engine in these automobiles is used to propel the automobile. The sequence hybrid’s engine simply retains the battery charged to energy the electrical motors within the automobiles.
The e-Energy hybrid system for Nissan is deliberate to launch domestically later this yr in a brand new model of its common Rogue compact SUV.
Timing for such a automobile may very well be superb for Nissan with climbing fuel costs, slower-than-planned adoption of EVs and an anticipated surge in hybrid gross sales amid new entries, in accordance with officers.
After shedding billions of {dollars} on EVs, automakers akin to Nissan are turning to hybrid automobiles to fulfill buyer expectations for gas economic system and to assist with driving efficiency.
S&P World Mobility expects hybrids within the U.S. this yr to extend to 18.4% of recent automobile gross sales, up from 12.6% final yr and seven.3% in 2023. It is forecasting pure EVs, in the meantime, will probably be 7.1% of recent automobile gross sales, down from 8% final yr.
“It is a distinctive powertrain for the for the U.S.,” Kurt Rosolowsky, Nissan North America automobile analysis and check engineer, mentioned throughout a media briefing. “That is an electrically pushed automobile, so far as what’s powering the wheels, nevertheless it would not have a plug, and also you fill it up with fuel such as you do with a standard automotive.”
Sequence hybrids
Nissan and different automakers have used sequence hybrids elsewhere, notably in Asia, however firms have been reluctant to carry the automobiles to the U.S. due to client expectations for driving dynamics and energy.
To handle these considerations, Nissan mentioned it has developed a extra highly effective 1.5-liter, three-cylinder turbocharged engine particularly for the e-Energy system, along with new packaging and different upgrades, to appease American patrons.
“The turbo is barely there to serve effectivity at greater speeds for the fuel engine to ship vitality,” Rosolowsky mentioned.
The e-Energy for the U.S. market is Nissan’s third technology of the sequence hybrid because it debuted in Japan in 2016. Since then, Nissan mentioned it has bought greater than 1.6 million automobiles globally with e-Energy in almost 70 international locations.
“I feel it will be a very good system. I feel it will be extremely popular for Nissan within the new Rogue when it arrives later this yr,” mentioned Sam Abuelsamid, vp of market analysis at communications and consulting agency Telemetry.
Abuelsamid mentioned the one actual downside to the sequence hybrid is that it is much less environment friendly at greater speeds, which Nissan is attempting to beat with the brand new engine in addition to battery dimension.
Driving e-Energy
Driving a European model of the Nissan Rogue Sport bought with the ePower system round suburban Detroit, the automobile’s driving dynamics — particularly quick acceleration and regenerative braking — are formidable.
They arrive with the acquainted sound of an engine revving however with out the shifting or sputtering of transmission gears and much much less noise, vibration and harshness, or NVH, because the business generally refers to it.
“The driving expertise actually is what makes it completely different with these fewer elements. You’ve gotten much less noise and fewer vibration,” Rosolowsky mentioned.
Nissan e-Energy emblem
Courtesy Nissan
Not like conventional gas-powered automobiles, the e-Energy system additionally doesn’t require a conventional transmission to shift gears or a driveshaft that transfers torque from the transmission to the differential, powering the wheels.
Whereas the Rogue Sport is a smaller automobile and solely forward-wheel-drive, it is simple to see how the system will translate to a bigger automobile with all-wheel-drive, which the brand new Rogue with e-Energy will probably be.
The shortage of a plug, some engine noise and slight vibration additionally could be extra acquainted for drivers who’ve been reluctant to undertake all-electric automobiles.
Whereas Nissan isn’t releasing specifics akin to pricing or gas economic system for the upcoming Rogue with e-Energy, the Rogue Sport was reaching greater than 40 miles per gallon throughout heavy metropolis driving, in accordance with the automobile’s MPG system.
The present Nissan Rogue, relying on the mannequin, can obtain greater than 30 MPG, in accordance with U.S. Division of Vitality and the U.S. Environmental Safety Company.
Nissan’s automobiles traditionally been much less gas environment friendly than these from its bigger Japanese rivals. Honda Motor and Toyota Motor, the latter of which pioneered conventional hybrids with the Prius and continues to dominate the sector within the U.S.
Nissan declined to debate the potential of increasing the e-Energy system to different automobiles within the U.S., however confirmed the brand new system is modular and able to working with many alternative engines.
“If we had been to broaden this to different automobiles, you may theoretically bolt this onto one other gasoline engine of a unique dimension and have extra choices for an e-Energy system,” Rosolowsky mentioned.
