Nissan unveils new electric-motor drivetrain - e-POWER

Nissan Motor Co. has introduced a new electric-motor driven powertrain called e-POWER. The automaker claims that this introduction marks an important milestone for its future plans towards electric mobility.

e-POWER is inspired from the powertrain used in the Nissan Leaf. The Japanese automaker claims to have sold 2.5 lakh units of the Leaf, globally. With the e-POWER setup, the company has tried to eliminate the limitations found in the Leaf. The biggest change is the addition of a small gasoline engine to the powering setup, which eliminates the need for an external charger.

The e-POWER works as a series hybrid. The engine is not directly linked to the wheels, and hence cannot drive the car on its own. It is however mated to a generator, which is capable of charging the batteries that in turn power the electric motor to drive the wheels. Nissan insists that the new powertrain isn't a 100% electric vehicle, as the primary source of energy is a gasoline engine, not a battery pack.

Nissan claims that the vehicles built on this new setup will provide all advantages of a full electric car, including instant torque delivery and silent operation. It also eliminates the need to worry about EV range and charging locations, thanks to the on-board gasoline engine. The company also claims that since the engine runs only when the battery is being charged, the e-POWER drivetrain will deliver a mileage that will be comparable to that of conventional hybrids.