• While Toyota and Honda’s showrooms are littered with electrified offerings, Nissan hasn’t had much to counter. • Globally, Nissan offers a series hybrid system called E-Power, but the company has been reluctant to offer it Stateside. • If you ask anyone at the company about it, they’ll tell you that while it makes sense in Europe, Japan, and other parts of Asia, it is not optimized for the type of driving we do this side of the pond. • Nissan’s hybrid offerings in North America have been lackluster at best. • There was the Altima that borrowed Toyota’s hybrid system from the Camry, and there was the Rogue hybrid that failed to deliver noticeably better fuel economy. • And that’s really it.

Article Summaries:

  • Nissan is set to launch a new series‑hybrid powertrain, the E‑Power, in the U.S. market later this year. The system, first tested on a European‑spec Qashqai that was shipped to North America, uses a 1.5‑liter turbocharged three‑cylinder engine that feeds an inverter, an electric motor and a 2.1‑kWh battery. The front motor, borrowed from the latest Leaf, delivers 202 hp (151 kW). While the Qashqai is front‑wheel drive, the upcoming Rogue will add an electric rear motor for all‑wheel drive, promising higher output and improved fuel economy.

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