Nissan e-POWER: our readers give their first impressions

Do you want to take the first steps towards going electric, but maybe aren’t quite ready to go all-electric? That’s where Nissan e-POWER^[1] comes in.

Available on the family-friendly Nissan Qashqai and the rugged-looking Nissan X-Trail, e-POWER is a unique electrified technology that brings all the perks of all-electric driving, without the need to ever plug in or charge up.

e-POWER uses a punchy electric motor to drive the wheels of the car at all times. It’s powered by a lithium-ion battery that’s kept topped-up by a frugal 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine. The net result is true EV-like driving character – with effortlessly silky acceleration, heaps of all-electric torque and a more refined driving experience.

The Nissan Qashqai e-POWER and the Nissan X-Trail e-POWER also borrow advanced tech from the all-electric Nissan LEAF hatchback and Nissan ARIYA SUV to elevate the EV-like driving experience even further.

Take e-Pedal Step, which uses regenerative braking to offer one-pedal driving to deliver a smoother drive – especially in stop-start traffic.

The Nissan X-Trail e-POWER is also available with Nissan’s next-generation e4ORCE^[1] all-wheel drive system. It controls the torque and braking for each wheel individually, prioritising those with the most grip to maximise stability and traction. As a result, you get even more confidence to take those big family adventures to the next level.

We wanted to find out just how electrifying e-POWER is to drive, so we invited a group of What Car? readers to Goodwood to try it out for themselves. Watch the video above and read the quotes below to find out what they had to say^[2].

Learn more about Nissan e-POWER

Bill Naylor: e-POWER is a revelation. I’ve driven traditional hybrids before, and they’re often let down by their fussy gearboxes, but the electric feel from these e-POWER cars is totally seamless. And when the petrol engine does come in to top-up the battery, it’s very quiet. I would say to anybody thinking of buying a hybrid car, try e-Power first and see what you think.

Priya Pathak: I was quite nervous before trying e-POWER because I’ve never driven an electrified car before, but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. The acceleration was incredibly smooth, everything was super easy to use and the entire driving experience was very relaxing. I loved all the gadgets in both cars, too.

Steve Stotesbury: The e-Pedal technology is incredible. It means that everything is controlled through your right foot and you’re not swapping between pedals all the time. Just ease off the throttle and the regenerative braking comes in: it makes for a smoother drive. It’s really neat.

Djaffar Ziriat: The whole concept of e-POWER seems like a great one to me – it’s a great stepping stone to a fully-electric car. I particularly liked the performance off the line – really responsive and plenty of torque. The tech inside both cars was another highlight for me, and I love the designs; the headlights are stunning!

Sandeep Pathak: What can I say? Having tried e-POWER for myself today, I would definitely recommend it to friends and family – or anyone, really! My favourite of the two was the X-Trail – it felt really solid.

Learn more about Nissan e-POWER

^[1] e-Power is a unique technology, it is not a 100% electric vehicle & requires petrol to fuel the electric motor. Search ‘Nissan e-POWER’ for more details.

^[2] Opinions based on personal driving experiences, individual experiences may differ.