Nissan releases Note e-Power series hybrid in Japan

[Ecky]

Nissan Note e-Power Hits Japanese Streets


[ADMIN NOTE: see this thread for more details & discussion about the Note e-Power -- http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ery-34499.html ]

Japanese car buyers now have a new kind of hybrid model to choose from.

The Nissan Note e-Power, for now available only in Japan, is a series hybrid that uses its 1.2-liter 3-cylinder engine as a generator to charge the 1.5-kWh battery while an electric motor drives the front wheels.

As such, it’s a twist from hybrids such as from rival Toyota that split mechanical propulsion duties between the engine and motor, and Nissan hopes it will serve as a “bridge” for customers as they move from gas-powered vehicles to all-electric vehicles.


Nissan can also reduce costs by selling the e-Power, according to Reuters, since it shares some parts with the Leaf.

Nissan’s Leaf is the most popular EV globally, but sales haven’t quite met expectations. The hybrid market is stronger in Japan than in other places.

The e-Power isn’t yet on the menu for American or European buyers, because it’s being built to suit Japanese driving habits and environments, which are more urban-centric.


Nissan’s electrified-vehicle strategy initially jumped past hybrids straight into full EVs, but that meant the brand ceded some market share, particularly to rival Toyota.

“We can’t avoid the fact that EVs remain expensive compared with conventional gasoline vehicles, while there’s also an ongoing assumption that EVs aren’t suited to traveling long ranges,” Hideyuki Sakamoto, a Nissan executive vice president, told Reuters.

Similar to the Chevrolet Volt, the e-Power system uses an electric motor to drive the wheels and a gas engine to provide charge for the electric motor. The e-Power’s electric motor is 40 kW and makes 109 horsepower. The battery pack is 1.5 kWh. Nissan claims fuel economy of up to 80 mpg.

Nissan also has plans to develop cheap, small EVs for China and may also look to use a plug-in hybrid system developed by Mitsubishi. A fuel-cell vehicle is also under development.

This configuration is very similar to Honda's Accord Hybrid, which also uses a gasoline engine > generator > battery > electric motor in series.

[rmay635703]

We will see if nissans take on a series hybrid ends up being a more efficient series hybrid than before.

[sendler]

Something is missing in that description of the drivetrain. A 1.5kWh battery seems to be too small to be the sole power to move the car with a 40kW motor. That will be quite a high discharge rate leading to very short battery life like the R/C batteries get. The Honda Accord Hybrid uses 6.7kWh and the engine clutches in to the wheels at highway speed.

[Ecky]

Pretty sure the Accord Hybrid (non plug-in) uses a 1.3kWh lithium. I believe the battery is only there to provide power in addition to the peak the engine can produce - e.g. if you're drawing 100kW, the engine might be making 80 and the battery giving up the extra 20 until you're done accelerating.

[sendler]

You are right.
.
1.3 kWh Li-Ion battery
Eight-year/100,000-mile or ten-year/150,000 mile Li-Ion battery limited warranty, depending on the state of purchase/registration.
.
2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Press Kit - Powertrain - Honda News
.
I guess the engine can start up if you want anything more than the instantaneous power that the battery can give.

[sendler]

Is there any real world fuel efficiency data on the series hybrid Note such as Fuelly or Spiritmonitor? All previous series/ parallel cars were more efficiont than series only hybrid cars.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by sendler

Is there any real world fuel efficiency data on the series hybrid Note such as Fuelly or Spiritmonitor? All previous series/ parallel cars were more efficiont than series only hybrid cars.

No but on the Japanese cycle the Prius is more efficient than the note

This a classic case of cheap and fast sells

Further Nissan has no plans of selling the low cost epower Note in the US ,
Instead we will get expensive epower mini vans and SUVS

Nissan wants to use this option only on fully loaded large vehicles,
Another fail in my book, let’s hope $5 gas makes them come to their senses

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by sendler

Is there any real world fuel efficiency data on the series hybrid Note such as Fuelly or Spiritmonitor? All previous series/ parallel cars were more efficiont than series only hybrid cars.

Test ratings in this thread, first post:


http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ery-34499.html


Dunno about real world.

[MetroMPG]

[QUOTE=rmay635703;570639
Further Nissan has no plans of selling the low cost epower Note in the US [/QUOTE]


The company has said they will: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post559361


(I should just merge these threads, but it'll make a dog's breakfast. I think I'll close this one and post a link to the other in post #1.)