Testing Nissan’s third-generation e-POWER technology to the limit, engineers have successfully completed the iconic Land’s End to John O’Groats journey on a single tank, with fuel to spare.
Driving 18 hours over two days, the experts from Nissan Technical Centre Europe (NTCE) in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, drove two Qashqai e-POWER vehicles the full length of the UK covering 837 miles using just one tank of petrol, with 100 miles of fuel to spare at the finish line. Confirming the new Qashqai’s best-in-class fuel economy, the team achieved 75mpg on the epic challenge.
This feat echoes a similar challenge undertaken in 2007, when the original Qashqai 1.5dCi Diesel completed the same route, setting a benchmark for fuel efficiency at the time, averaging 67.35mpg.
Eighteen years later and with Nissan’s latest and best electrified technology, Qashqai once again rose to the occasion, completing the challenge with a smaller fuel tank by 10 litres.
Dean Driver, Vehicle Evaluation Engineer, and one of the drivers in the challenge, said: “Driving the Qashqai e-POWER from Land’s End to John O’Groats really showcased the strength of the new powertrain.
Range and refinement
“Not only did it deliver a smooth and quiet drive throughout the journey, but we completed over 800 miles with fuel still in the tank – proving just how far this technology has come in combining range with refinement.”
Unlike traditional hybrids, the Qashqai e-POWER system uses a petrol engine solely to generate electricity, which in turn powers an electric motor that drives the wheels. This means the wheels are driven only by electric power, delivering instant torque, smooth acceleration, and a quieter ride – all without the need to plug in.
David Moss, Senior Vice President, Region Research & Development in Nissan AMIEO (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe, and Oceania), said: “The third generation e-POWER reflects everything we’ve learned from years of development.
“We’ve taken the best elements from previous systems, listened to what customers value most, and re-engineered the platform to maximise efficiency, reduce emissions, and enhance driving comfort – all while maintaining diesel-like range. We’re proud that the new e-POWER now delivers best-in-class driving performance, fuel economy and emissions.”
The new e-POWER 5-in-1 powertrain integrates key components including the electric motor, generator, inverter, increaser and reducer to a completely new redesigned 1.5-litre turbo engine. It also adopts Nissan’s proprietary STARC combustion concept, which has lifted thermal efficiency to 42% – an exceptionally high level – by stabilising in-cylinder combustion, which enables the engine to operate more quietly and effectively at lower speeds.
The latest Qashqai equipped with e-POWER began production in July this year. Built at Nissan’s state-of-the-art factory in Sunderland, UK, it will land in markets across Europe in the coming months.