Nissan’s e-Power serial hybrid system is, on its own right, an innovation, but could the very same technology be responsible for the company’s current troubles? According to an article in Automotive News, that may be the case.
Although e-Power launched to great promise in 2018 (it helped the Nissan Note topple the Toyota Prius as Japan’s best-selling model), Nissan hasn’t really capitalized on that success.
Per the story, Nissan has yet to launch the e-Power tech in the United States, one of Nissan’s most important markets. The reason? Product planners had no confidence in the tech. To quote:
The setup didn’t provide enough charge for high-speed, long-distance highways, they [American product planners] said. Moreover, U.S. drivers were vexed by the decoupled feeling between the all-electric acceleration and the on-again, off-again engine generator.And while Nissan likes to harp about its synergies with other members of the so-called Alliance (Renault and Mitsubishi), the story says “house-proud Japanese engineers” resisted to borrow a better-fit strong hybrid solution like E-Tech which is developed by Renault.
It also didn’t help that North American executives were just too conservative when it came to electrification. Again, according to the story:
“The U.S. team was not completely convinced that the electrification system was good for their business,” said one former executive involved with the decision-making. “They said U.S. consumers are not ready. It was a conservative approach.”With free cash flow dwindling, Nissan is now forced to make tough choices. There are plans to cut 9,000 jobs globally. It will also cut production by 25 percent.
Their solution? It will now (belatedly) introduce e-Power to the U.S. market but only by 2026. Before then, the Rogue (X-Trail) will get a PHEV variant first with tech it’ll probably share from its twin, the Mitsubishi Outlander. An extended range EV version is also in development which fits the same gas generator with a higher capacity battery. Read our first impressions of the 2025 X-Trail e-Power e-4orce.
In the meantime, Nissan may need to search for an investor to help them out. Natural candidates include Honda or even the Mitsubishi Group. In the most extreme case, a Chinese automaker in the form of Nio, Xpeng, or BYD could help Nissan. Taiwan’s Foxconn may also be another possibility given former Nissan COO Jun Seki currently heads the iPhone maker’s EV strategy division.
A Nissan owned by BYD would be seismic! Imagine more and cheaper Leafs, Sakuras and Ariyas - very good cars with limited availability globally. But first, kick out those geriatric execs whose short-sightedness brought on the dire straits that Nissan finds itself now.
ReplyDeleteByd is only successful due to billions in subsidies by the Chinese Govt. without which it will crash due to its high debt load
DeleteAdapt or perish
ReplyDeleteWhy byd? If us market is the problem, get toyota hybrid tech. US more into hybrid than ev. Mazda, subaru, and gac went with toyota hybrid tech. Byd more for pure evs
ReplyDeleteToyota isn't interested buying shares at Nissan Motors fool 🤣🤣
DeleteBYD's best sellers now are PHEVs 🤣
Next generation Corolla and Corolla Cross are gonna use the PHEV DM-i technology of BYD in order to save costs as its more efficient,tech advanced and reliable
Byd is over rated, it only sold more than tesla bcoz it has many many low cost model, its PHEV/DMi has unreliable low quality ICE engines.
ReplyDeleteCVTs killed Nissan. Electric cars are selling in huge numbers only in China since the govt has made it difficult to register ICE vehicles.
ReplyDeletein America, a lot are still talking about Nissan's CVT, and how terrible it is,
ReplyDeleteNissan plummeted due to very low sales in china.
ReplyDeleteOther japs brands are in danger of the same fate- hence the mergers.
Chinese no longer buy japs cars in china, since china cars are more hi tech and lower price.
Sad to see what's happening to Nissan lately. My family used to be diehard Nissan fans back in the 90's to early 2000's. We must have owned at least a dozen Nissans the past 30 years.
ReplyDelete