Nissan drives the electrification Its model range in Europe is massively advancing, but it is going a different way: The Japanese rely exclusively on electric cars, customers will not be able to buy plug-in hybrids.
Courage to leave gaps can be worthwhile. When Nissan presented its Qashqai in 2007 and positioned itself with the compact model between the traditional golf segment and the fashionable SUVs, the Japanese brand hit the bull's eye. Pleasant proportions, attractive design and the slightly higher seating position were very well received by the customers. So good that Nissan has produced around five million Qashqai in two generations to date, three million of which have found buyers in Europe. In Germany, the Qashqai is by far the bestseller in the portfolio.
Qashqai no more than diesel
The Japanese want to build on this success with the third generation. The launch is this summer. The new Qashqai is on the Renault-Nissan Alliance platform CMF-C and for the first time no longer has a diesel. Nissan sees the diesel engine as a discontinued model and is instead increasingly relying on electrification. By the end of 2023, around 75 percent of the models sold in Europe should either be electrified or have a fully electric drive under the hood.
In the coming year, Nissan will be sending the Qashqai in a so-called e-Power version, a special hybrid variant. Its technical design differs from a “normal” hybrid, such as that Toyota has been using for almost 25 years. There is a serial hybrid in the Qashqai. Here the wheels are driven exclusively by the electric motor, while the gasoline engine produces electricity for the battery. Nissan expects better efficiency and the customer a more electric driving experience. The developers even donated variable compression to the 1,5-liter three-cylinder. This should allow the engine to easily pass the Euro 7 emissions hurdle.
No combustion engine in the EU from 2022
The serial hybrid will also be given to the next X-Trail (2022th generation) in 4, which debuted in China in the spring. Nissan's top model in the European SUV portfolio also drives without a diesel engine. The last diesel will still run in the Navara, but the pickup will no longer be offered in the EU from 2022. The factory in Barcelona closes at the end of this year.
So far, Nissan has not had a plug-in hybrid in its range in Europe. It will stay that way. Reason: The European market is simply too small for the Japanese brand (share below three percent) for the high investments in this technology to be worthwhile. In addition, the PHEV share in the C-segment, which is important for Nissan, is only around 20 percent and the plug-in principle is not considered to have a promising future. Keyword: state funding. As soon as this ceases to exist, demand would also drop massively, according to Nissan.
Ariya as the beginning of a new chapter
Then rather, in the course of decarbonisation and climate neutrality, fully electric: After all, you have enough experience with the Leaf, as well as with the construction of SUVs. The 4,60 meter long Ariya is supposed to combine both and, according to CEO Makato Uchida, “open a new chapter in the history of Nissan”. The Ariya is the prelude to an entire electro family. Other SUVs will follow, but also sedans and compact cars. The latter could include the next Micra, the new edition of which is expected in 2024. To offer it with a conventional drive does not make much sense, especially since partner Renault is sending the electric R5 into the race on the same platform. Both should come off the same line in Flins / France.
Nissan has already announced a crossover as the next full electric vehicle. The vehicle is considered the successor to the Leaf and is expected to be presented at the end of 2023. The investments in Sunderland show how important electromobility is to Nissan. Around 1,2 billion euros will flow into the English location. Together with Envision AESC, not only is a huge battery factory being built there, the City Council of Sunderland is also providing renewable electricity for the production of the battery cells. It comes from a newly built wind and solar park. In addition, excess electricity can be stored in a 1 MW battery system - created from used vehicle batteries.