Electrified Nissan said to offer 40 per cent boost in efficiency over regular petrol without sacrificing performance
Nissan has released full details of its new JUKE hybrid that it will introduce later this year that is claimed to be capable of driving up to 80 per cent of urban journeys on pure-electric power alone.
Claimed to deliver a 40 per cent reduction in fuel use in town, the latest JUKE hybrid combines a 69kW/148Nm 1.6-litre petrol, a 15kW starter/generator and a small electric motor that, alone, produces 36kW and 205Nm of torque, plus a small 1.2kWh battery.
Combined, the system produces 105kW, around 25 per cent more power than the equivalent petrol offering, while delivering a combined efficiency improvement of around 20 per cent.
A development of the same set-up is already used in the Clio E-Tech, with the electric motor and combustion engine channelling its power through an innovative clutchless transmission that uses dog-clutches instead of synchromesh.
Always programmed to start off in electric drive mode, Nissan says the combustion engine features four gears, while the EV mode gets two cogs. Synchronising all the ratios is a pair of additional electric motors.
The result is a car that can average 5.2L/100km and 118g/km of CO2.
Nissan has not released performance figures, but says the JUKE Hybrid can operate at up to 55km/h in pure EV mode.
Along with the normal driving modes, there’s also a dedicated EV setting, while the adjustable regenerative braking harvests back energy and can also provide an e-Pedal mode that’s similar to one-pedal diving offered in the LEAF. The only difference is the JUKE only slows to around 5km/h and doesn’t bring the car to a halt.
Helping maximise efficiency, the JUKE Hybrid gets a new front grille that now features an upper plastic strip to reduce the opening for better aero. Radiator grille shutters and blanked off area with the front opening are also claimed to reduce drag.
New front tyre spoilers and a set of more slippery 17-inch alloy rims (19-inch alloys are also available), a reprofiled rear spoiler, extra underbody cladding around the rear axle and new Hybrid badges on the front door complete the changes.
Inside, there’s a new display to help the owner drive more efficiently when behind the wheel.
Unfortunately, there have been some compromises, chiefly, the battery robs 68-litres of boot space, with the luggage compartment falling to 354-litres, although space in the second row remains unchanged.
Set to arrive in Europe in Q3 of 2022, there’s no announcement yet on whether the more efficient JUKE hybrid will be offered in Australia.
Keyword: Nissan JUKE bags advanced hybrid