Nissan Qashqai e-Power drive by Steve Rogers
This is a car for the doubters and the waverers. Those who are not ready to take the plunge into electric.
Yes, another year has passed and we are getting closer to the big switch, but in the meantime Nissan has come up with a solution, and a clever one at that.
The e-Power has an electric motor to drive the front wheels but instead of plugging into a charging point you go to a petrol pump because it has an engine whose job is to keep the battery topped up so it can power the 140kW motor. You get all the performance benefits of an electric car but without the range anxiety. Didn’t I say it was clever.
This is the new Qashqai that has been getting a lot of air time with TV ads but is more of a facelift with a big tech upgrade and new front, dominated by a full width curved grille and is as spectacular as a catwalk model wearing a huge dazzling necklace.
The grille has an intricate design with dozens of three dimensional ‘comma’ inserts. That is Nissan’s description but pardon me for being pedantic and giving our Japanese friends a lesson in punctuation. They are quote marks and you are probably thinking ‘who gives a stuff’ so let’s just say it is one heck of a grille.
The comma theme (I’m over it now) is carried through to the redesigned daylight running lights and rear light elements and is very attractive.
What’s under the body remains the same but quite a lot has been going on to improve quality in the cabin with alcantara coverings along the dashboard, doors and centre storage console paired with leather trimmed seats.
As for the technology they have virtually ripped it out and started again with Google mapping featuring over the air upgrades and security that allows the car to be monitored, sending a warning if it has been tampered with or towed. Voice control is good as well, just ask Google and it will change the radio station, set a navigation destination or adjust the heating.
Should you want to adjust the heating then there are big knobs and buttons rather than dabbing endlessly at the touchscreen. Thank you Nissan.
Two standout features are the incredibly bright adaptive headlights that seem to be on full beam all the time, but aren’t, and the surround camera system. Nissan introduced this on the Note more than a decade ago but what it can do does now is staggering.
The camera has a 3D function allowing the driver to see the car from above, along with eight external view points to help avoid hitting anything.
A clever new addition shows the position of the front wheels as if looking at them from just behind, showing hidden curbs, the sort you might encounter in multi storey car parks.
Qashqai now comes with five grades starting at £30,135 topping out with the e-Power Tekna+.
This has a 3-cylinder 1.5 litre turbocharged engine to power the electric motor and has that exhilarating instant power surge. Economy is some way off the best rivals with a week’s average of 43mpg although I did manage to top 50mpg on a couple of longer trips.
Push the boat out for Tekna+ and you get a long list of goodies, including a heated windscreen, glass roof and power for just about everything. All that seemed to be missing were cool air ventilated seats, though not something you necessarily need in this weather.
The e-Power is another milestone in Qashqai’s remarkable story, a car that started a trend that has consumed the car industry for nearly two decades. But although it will still be around it is only a stopgap until the industry ends production of the internal combustion engine in favour of the all electric car.
Fast facts
e-Power Tekna+
£38,875
1.5 litre petrol; 187bhp
140kW electric motor
0-62mph 7.9secs; 105mpg
54mpg combined
117g/km. 1st tax £220
Boot: 504-1447 litres
Insurance group 29
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