Nissan says its e-Power e-4ORCE system which will appear in the upcoming X-Trail represents the “pinnacle” of 4WD technology, and says the tech can be scaled up to vehicles like the Nissan Navara or the new Patrol.
The brand has also flagged e-Power as its eco-technology of choice, suggesting the plug-in hybrid powertrains favoured by Mitsubishi (an Alliance partner of Nissan) would not be a first choice for future models.
The news would suggest e-Power is on the table for the upcoming Patrol and a new Navara – though Nissan says it won’t be drawn on future product specifics – with the brand suggesting its e-40RCE 4WD application is a smarter, better solution than a conventional 4WD setup.
The brand also says the tech is scaleable, whether for its smaller vehicles, or for models like the Navara or Patrol.
“Ultimately the technology is scaleable –e-Power as a concept is scalable,” says Adam Robertson, Deputy Director at the Nissan Technical Center Europe.
“There’s no reason at all why not. The torque response for electric motors is instant. 1/10000 of a second is incredibly quick. I always liken it back to being ten times faster than the stopwatch used in F1.
“And it means you’ve got a permanent 4WD system, so you apply torque wherever you want it at any time. It’s the pinnacle, and you can use that in other applications as well.
“I couldn’t comment on any future plans on any other models, but obviously this technology offers some very very strong benefits.”
Australia will get its first taste of the technology with the incoming X-Trail, due early next year, which will arrive with e-Power fitted. Nissan’s answer to the hybrid question uses a petrol engine to recharge an on-board battery, which in turn is used to power the vehicle’s electric motors, offering a EV-feeling drive. In the case of the X-Trail, a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine is used to recharge the battery or power the electric motors.
But more importantly for a model like the Patrol is the inclusion of Nissan’s e-4ORCE 4WD system, which sees a second electric motor fitted at the rear axle (matching the one at the front) for all-wheel-drive capability that delivers “constant torque, near-perfect weight balance and is 10,000 times faster than a regular 4WD system”.
While unconfirmed, it would appear a logical step for Nissan, with the brand uncommitted on plug-in hybrid technology and now “weaning off diesel”.
It puts e-Power and e-4ORCE in the box seat to power the next generation of models like the Navara and Patrol.
“At the moment we are weaning off diesel. We do not plan to come back. So we are constantly now removing our diesel offerings from the portfolio,” says Ilya Deminov, Nissan’s Europe Regional Product Planner.
“We have e-Power which is the main powertrain in our portfolio to answer on electrification as the transition technology to full EV.”
The brand went on to spell out the complications in its various regions, including in diesel-hungry Australia, saying that “expectations around powertrains vary wildly”.
Keyword: Is the Y63 Nissan Patrol going electric? New e-4ORCE hybrid tech is "the pinnacle" of 4WD capability