Electric Nissan X-Trail, Qashqai, Juke due in 2025 – report
Electric versions of the Nissan X-Trail, Qashqai and Juke SUVs are coming to European showrooms, an overseas report claims.
The Nissan Qashqai, X-Trail and Juke SUVs are slated to gain the option of electric power in 2025, according to a new report out of Europe.
UK magazine Autocar claims battery-electric versions of the Juke and Qashqai small SUVs, and X-Trail mid-size SUV due in European showrooms between 2025 and 2027.
These new Nissans would sit on versions of the electric-only 'skateboard' platform beneath the new Renault Megane E-Tech Electric and Nissan Ariya electric vehicles, with the Juke reportedly the first model scheduled to launch.
It is unclear if the electric versions of the three vehicles will replace the current offerings – which offer petrol or hybrid power – or would be sold alongside them.
Autocar claims the new electric vehicles "are expected as replacements for the current-generation models".
However, later in its report the publication says all three cars would be "sold alongside an e-Power [hybrid] variant," which would require the current models to remain on sale as the electric-car chassis slated for the new vehicles can't support a petrol engine.
While electric could replace petrol power in Europe, it is less likely to occur internationally, where the petrol-powered vehicles remain popular, and there are fewer government regulations pushing electric-car sales.
It is also unknown when – or if – the new electric Nissan vehicles will come to international markets, including Australia.
"The point is we go in a transition manner, in a smart manner, with e-Power then to BEV [battery-electric vehicles]," Nissan Europe boss Guillaume Cartier said, as quoted by Autocar.
"We’re just launching e-Power [now]. We need to take the benefit of it on Qashqai. We have evolved, so this [electric power] is something that it’s natural to look at, which would be the future."
Autocar reports the three new electric Nissan SUVs are due too early to benefit from Nissan's solid-state battery technology – which is scheduled for production in 2028 – however the publication speculates on driving ranges in excess of 500km, and more power than today's Ariya electric SUV.
Nissan reportedly confirmed late last year that a new-generation lithium-ion battery pack is due for a production car "within a couple of years", claimed to offer "better energy density and efficiency and a lower cost," according to Autocar.
The three new SUVs form plans for hybrid and electric cars to account for 50 per cent of Nissan sales globally by 2030 – though in Europe, a target of 75 per cent hybrid and electric sales has been set for 2026.
Nissan offers hybrid versions of the latest Juke, Qashqai and X-Trail – but with two different forms of the technology.
The Juke is a traditional hybrid vehicle – which can drive the wheels with petrol or electric power, or both, akin to a Toyota hybrid – while the Qashqai and X-Trail use Nissan's e-Power technology, where the petrol engine is used as a generator to power electric motors that drive the wheels.
The X-Trail e-Power is on sale in Australia now, while the Qashqai e-Power is due towards the end of this year, and the Juke Hybrid is not currently planned for local showrooms.
8 Images