Las new technologies They continue to advance in the world and little by little they reach the Argentine market. One of them is the one that proposes Nissanin which it uses only electricity to move the wheels but does not do so in a conventional way. This device was tested in the Andes Mountains to evaluate its effectiveness.
Dubbed e-Power, this technology from the Japanese brand uses a combustion engine to generate electricity and the two electric motors that are responsible for sending power to the wheels.
Under the motto “e-Power Experience”, the Japanese brand lined up a dozen X-Trail units, the medium SUV that is sold in our market and that has this technology incorporated.
On a tour of Chile that included route, highway, city and off-road tours It was possible to verify not only its good performance off the asphalt, but the fuel efficiency provided by this system was revealed once again.
The 4×4 traction of this Nissan model is not the same as what is usually offered, with mechanical elements connected to each other. The possibility of mounting an electric motor on the front axle and another on the rear axle eliminates a large number of parts and allows you to take advantage of the instant torque provided by electromobility.
How the e-Power system works
Unlike conventional hybrids, which beyond traveling certain passages in electric mode have the combustion engine as the main power unit, e-Power technology has a different configuration because it runs on electricity but depends on a thermal propellant. That is why it can be called a “extended range electric“.
Through this innovative system developed by Nissan, those in charge of moving the vehicle’s wheels are always the two electric motorswhich deliver a total power of 205 HP.
They are powered by batteries that, as a source of energy, use the three-cylinder, turbocharged gasoline engine, which has 1.5 liters of displacement and 142 HP of power.
The great point in favor of conventional electric cars is that this technology does not need any plug or electric pump to recharge its battery and, according to the company, autonomy improves by more than 50% in urban areas.
Trails with a lot of loose rock were no problem for the Nissan X-Trail e-Power.The electric motors combine a torque (maximum moment of force of the motor) of 330 Nm. But it’s not just a good number. Unlike combustion engines, in which you have to wait until a certain number of revolutions per minute, in this type of propellants, that force is delivered immediately.
The brand ensures that the driving sensations are similar to those of an electric car in terms of smoothness and progressiveness and that they even have the same e-Pedal function as the Leaf, Nissan’s 100% electric model, which consists of managing the forward motion. and brake the vehicle using only the accelerator pedal for easier and more efficient handling in urban traffic.
In this way, the deceleration phases are taken advantage of to convert that energy into electricity. With this option activated, it is possible to extend the autonomy of the X-Trail to more than 800 kilometers mainly on urban or mixed routes.
Another technology that debuted in the Nissan
The Nissan X-Trail e-Power with the Andes in the background as a post.A conventional 4×4 is equipped with drive axles and differentials that allow the engine’s power to be transferred to all four wheels. In this case, each motor is responsible for moving the wheels of each axle without there being a mechanical connection between the two.
This system is also used to improve driving comfort. When braking, while this kinetic energy is converted into electricity, it is also used to make braking less abrupt and prevent body pitching.
e-Power in action
On a journey that involved moving from Santiago to the southern area of the Chilean capital, in the direction of the Andes Mountains, the sections of road and highways were enjoyed for the serenity of travel that this model offers.
The combustion engine starts automatically and it does so every time the battery charge that powers the electric motors is very low. Its appearance is almost imperceptible and is only detected by a very small vibration felt in the pedals.
It is not something that bothers too much but it breaks with that total and absolute calm that occurs when the combustion engine is off. What’s more, when you travel on the road, where the combustion engine is on practically all the time, its noise is much lower and invasive than in other models with a thermal engine.
The electronic management of the Nissan X-Trail e-Power is responsible for distributing power according to each need.The performance of this model changes noticeably depending on the environment in which it moves. In the city and semi-urban environments is where its technological cutting-edge is best used, with consumption that can reach 18 km/l (about 6 L/100 km). This is where the internal combustion engine can be kept off most of the time, something that happens practically every time it decelerates.
The challenge arose when they had to leave the asphalt. First it was a section along gravel roads, where The system distributed the power of both electric motors depending on the ground and acceleration to correct the vehicle’s trajectory.
But the most interesting thing occurred when the road stopped being a simple gravel road and became steep and with a lot of loose stone. The lack of experience in 4×4 driving with a model of these characteristics generated some initial doubts.
In a conventional 4×4, in addition to four-wheel drive, some vehicles have a transfer case, which is responsible for multiplying the force of the engine to face difficult terrain.
In the case of the Nissan X-Trail, only It uses its two electric motors and electronic management to apply force at precise moments. And the reality is that nothing more was needed.
Although it was not an extreme trial, the steep terrain required a demand for this SUV. was able to overcome without any problem and without ceasing to provide a great quality of life on board. And all done with tires more designed for the road than for off-road driving.
Here it should also be noted that this model does not come with a spare wheel, so you must get one if you want to undertake a 4×4 adventure like this.
But most surprising of all was its fuel efficiency. In a total journey of more than 320 kilometers, which included about 60 of off-road and another 60 of gravel, the average consumption was just over 18 kilometers for each liter, a notable value for the driving moments at which was subdued. And there also lies part of the success of e-Power technology.
