[damager21]

Japanese carmaker Nissan is studying the possibility of introducing the Note e-Power in India. The carmaker feels that this electrically driven hatchback which is charged by a small 1198cc petrol engine (range extender) rather than a fixed charging socket, will be better suited for the Indian buyer.

“The e-Power technology will be very convenient for the Indian customer. We have a request from our team in India to study the e-Power technology for the country,” Daniele Schillaci, executive vice president, Global Marketing and Sales, Nissan Motor Co said addressing the media at the company’s headquarters in Yokohama.

Launched in Japan last year, the Note e-Power is the automaker’s first range-extended electric vehicle. It can run on petrol like a normal petrol-powered or hybrid car, without having to charge the battery from a charging station, thus making it suitable for countries such as India where the electric vehicle charging network is weak.

Schillaci also confirmed that Nissan is gearing up to launch a pilot run of its all-electric vehicle, Leaf, in India to study its viability. “I can confirm that we are starting a deep test of the new Leaf in India this year. So in terms of strategy, the Note e-Power and the Leaf are the two things we are studying,” Schillaci added.

The new Leaf is powered by a 40kWh battery, up 10kWh from the previous-gen vehicle and makes 140hp, up 40.4hp than the current 30kW range-topper.

Source: ACI

[abhishek46]

The "Range Extender" system always raises suspicion. The economy of many game changing electrics like the i3, is questionable under the operation of an Range extender.
For instance the i3 range extender uses up around 35-40MPG fuel rate when in operation. Not at all great!

It would make more sense to consider the smaller Nissan Leaf, which is All-Electric and provides a 'superb' range of 225Kms with a full charge.

The only Fly in this electrifying Ointment, would be the price. A cool 22,500 USD after subsidies & 30000 USD without subsidies (which mean Rs 20 lakh in India, for a Hatchback).

But, the silver lining would be the 150PS power and 320NM instant toque.

[Axe77]

Hmmm... interesting. I hope a lot more manufacturers fast track their plans to bring hybrid and electric offerings to India.

The Indian automotive industry may well be at the cusp of its biggest change in many years and manufacturers should be thinking of this as the big opportunity to stay / get ahead of the game.

[RavenAvi]

Nissan India starts road tests of the Note hatchback in Chennai.

This particular test mule doesn't wear any "e-Power" badging, though.

The spotted test mule wears a black paint and is most probably the top-end trim. The car has a distinctive shape to the tail-lights which seem like LED units, the rear windscreen gets a wiper, there are chrome door handles, rear parking sensors and alloy wheels. Also, the alloy wheels look identical to the ones seen on the Sunny. The hatchback also wears a Medalist badge on the boot lid.
Globally, the car is offered with 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines. Nissan could plonk the 1.2 petrol and 1.5 diesel motors that do duty on the Micra and Sunny.

Motorbeam

[CarguyNish]

If Nissan is thinking of bringing this one here, they better drop the plan or improve it significantly.

This to me looks like a Micra in different clothing. The Interiors are identical to the Micra, right from seats, dashboard, audio system, center console etc.

The 1.5 Diesel is efficient but it lacks punch. Petrol is smooth but doesn't feel energetic. Only saving grace is the CVT gearbox which is smooth and efficient.

Instead of this, Nissan can bring in its Qashqai SUV which will surely do well. If they indeed want a Hatchback, why not the Nissan Pulsar ? Which is so much good. But, it's length of 4.3m might be hampering Nissan to bring it here maybe.

[CarguyNish]

Nissan tests waters in India for its e-Power technology

Expects the country to become a key market for electric vehicles in the long run.

"We are conducting some tests in India for the e-Power... India and Indonesia are two big countries where we are doing the tests while some are also being done in Thailand,"

Interesting bit,

Nissan's e-Power technology uses electric motor to power the vehicle, but at the same time, it has a small gasoline engine to charge the battery when needed, thus doing away with the need for an external charger.

The Nissan Note spotted above is a proof of this

When Asked about details of the testing, he said the company has started it only "very recently"

On how electric mobility could happen on a large scale in India, Schillaci said: "I think it'll come from mid-sized vehicles in the Indian market and not from the high-end vehicles."

Source

[Arjun Reddy]

Japanese auto major Nissan said it has started testing its e-Power technology-equipped vehicle in India as part of the strategy to enhance electric mobility in Asia. The company, which is part of a working group in partnership with the Indian government, expects the country to become a key market for electric vehicles in the long run. Nissan's e-Power technology uses electric motor to power the vehicle, but at the same time, it has a small gasoline engine to charge the battery when needed, thus doing away with the need for an external charger.


https://auto.ndtv.com/news/nissan-us...-india-1767027

Also, Nissan is planning to start testing the all electric Leaf towards the end of the year for a probable 2018 launch.

[bhpfaninblr]

Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy

Nissan's e-Power technology uses electric motor to power the vehicle, but at the same time, it has a small gasoline engine to charge the battery when needed, thus doing away with the need for an external charger.


https://auto.ndtv.com/news/nissan-us...-india-1767027

Also, Nissan is planning to start testing the all electric Leaf towards the end of the year for a probable 2018 launch.

Awesome - this is definitely a mouth watering prospect. Pricing will be the key. With the mileage double that of a petrol engine, we can expect a 40% higher pricing

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy

Japanese auto major Nissan said it has started testing its e-Power technology-equipped vehicle in India as part of the strategy to enhance electric mobility in Asia. The company, which is part of a working group in partnership with the Indian government, expects the country to become a key market for electric vehicles in the long run. Nissan's e-Power technology uses electric motor to power the vehicle, but at the same time, it has a small gasoline engine to charge the battery when needed, thus doing away with the need for an external charger.


https://auto.ndtv.com/news/nissan-us...-india-1767027

Also, Nissan is planning to start testing the all electric Leaf towards the end of the year for a probable 2018 launch.

I think these Japs need to read the news (TBHP would also do) more often.

If they arrive at the scene with the above Hybrid set-up (An electric with a range extender, could very well be categorized as an Hybrid by the local establishments), they will be needlessly taxed like hell.

As a result, no one will buy these otherwise good products, and then they will silently discontinued (Like how the Camry Hybrid is rumored to be).

It is best, if they launch the All Electric Leaf instead.

[RavenAvi]

Spotted parked at an unknown location by ACI spies.

Nissan recently revealed that the company feels that this electrically driven hatchback, which is charged by a small 1,198cc petrol engine (range extender) rather than a fixed charging socket, will be better suited for the Indian buyer.

“The e-Power technology will be very convenient for the Indian customer. We have a request from our team in India to study the e-Power technology for the country,” Daniele Schillaci, executive vice president, Global Marketing and Sales, Nissan Motor Co said addressing the media at the company’s headquarters in Yokohama.

[freedom]

I have always maintained that pure EV won't click in India. Not yet.
We need EVs to have a way to charge batteries on the fly and get us home.
The last thing I want on a road trip is to calculate if I will get to my destination or will I be stranded on a dark highway if I happen to run out of juice.
99% of the times you will never need to run the engine as a range of 200km is more than enough to get you from A to B. Even on a highway trip 200km run with a 30 min halt and another 2 hour run is usually enough.
I don't know of many people apart from cabbies and enthusiasts who need to do more than 300km per day everyday.
EVs will be a hit with people needing a 3rd or a 4th car. EV can't be you only car. Not yet.

Charging EV in apartment buildings is another challenge. We need a way to drop off batteries and pick up charged batteries and be out of the service station/fuel pump in under 10 mins.
Give me a Nano sized car with fast charging tech and an efficient generator to charge batteries if needed and I will go an put my money down.

Nissan is doing the right thing. I wish them good luck.

[bhpfaninblr]

Very excited about Nissan Note coming in. This should definitely spur the ever-reliable Hyundai and Suzuki to launch similar cars.
I am very keen on having an EV like this that does not need a charging point and that can be charged by an engine to replace my Swift in a year or two

[jpcoolguy]

Nissan Note spotted testing, in GST road near Chengalpet - photos by my friend.

[RavenAvi]

The Note e-Power has been spotted doing testing rounds in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, by an ACI reader.

What makes the Note e-Power hatchback unique is the fact that it’s a range extender. This Note’s 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine doesn’t power the wheels directly but rather acts as a generator for the 80kW (or 108hp) electric motor that drives the front wheels. This arrangement does away with the need to plug-in the Note to a wall socket to replenish the battery pack (as you would in a battery-electric car), and it is this characteristic that makes the Note e-Power particularly interesting to India where charging infrastructure is non-existent. This setup also promises to be incredibly frugal. Nissan claims the Note e-Power consumes only a litre of petrol for every 37km travelled.

Range extenders are traditionally classified as hybrids but Nissan insiders we have spoken to say the carmaker is in talks with government bodies to consider the Note e-Power as an EV, given motive power comes from an electric motor.

[i74js]

This is certainly what people would be looking at unless there is a breakthrough in battery charging technology.

A range extender kind of vehicle can provide solution to many issues:

- The city level travel can be managed through the electric motor
- Even the day to day charging should be possible through home based charging setup (the issue that I face or many of us would be facing is around proximity of charging infrastructure) whenever available, as I do not have a dedicated parking slot at home
- The same car can be used for intercity / highway runs without worrying about the battery limitations.

I am in for such solutions and would be even okay to pay higher taxes provided the overall cost of ownership is in the range of mass market cars (say initial capital investment in the range of 10-12 Lacs).