Nissan e-Power expansion possible in Oz

NISSAN Australia could follow a similar tack with the Qashqai e-Power, starting off with a highly specced variant before adding a more affordable version - or two - further down the pricing tree.

The new petrol-electric small SUV is priced at a comparatively lofty $51,590 plus on-road costs, positioning it as the model with the most expensive starting point among its hybrid small SUV mainstream brand cohort.

For context, the Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid starts from $36,480 +ORCs, while the extensive Hyundai Kona hybrid line-up starts from $36,000 +ORCs, and the Subaru Crosstrek hybrid kicks off from $38,590 +ORCs. Even the overly exxy Kia Niro HEV hybrid opens from $44,930 +ORCs, and the new-gen Toyota C-HR model, which has seen a mind-blowing circa-$11K hike, starts from $42,990 +ORCs.

Suffice to say there’s room to move for the Qashqai petrol-electric e-Power model, and while nothing has been confirmed by the brand, it is clear from comments made at the launch of the new electrified variant that there is work being done to expand the range to more attainable levels, as has happened with the X-Trail e-Power line-up.

Adam Paterson, Nissan Oceania managing director, said that X-Trail e-Power has started to hit its straps finally on the back of better supply, with 24 per cent of all-wheel drive versions of the X-Trail sold in February having the petrol-electric powertrain.

He suggested that while it's heartening to see the technology starting to sell in bigger numbers, the brand still has room to improve.

“I don’t think we're giving an exact projection on mix, but the 24 per cent that we've been delivering from an X-Trail standpoint has been supply-challenged, supply limited. Definitely on X-Trail we will do better, as supply improves,” said Mr Paterson of the e-Power model take-up in the larger SUV. Both X-Trail and Qashqai make use of the same powertrain, which uses a petrol engine as a generator to power an electric motor by way of an inverter.

“And I think it remains to be seen where we will end with Qashqai. At launch we only have one grade available. Right? Remember in X-Trail there’s three grades, Ti, Ti-L and ST-L,” said Mr Paterson, referring to the recently added ST-L e-Power which is actually more affordable than the sole Qashqai e-Power, at $49,990 +ORCs.

“It’s probably a consideration down the road whether or not we extend it in the range, but what we did see with X-Trail is that a lot of the interest was really at the top grade, and top spec’ at launch. And it's still quite strong demand for that as well,” Mr Paterson said.

Warwick Daly, general manager of product marketing for Nissan Australia, explained that the price premium asked for the e-Power model is identical for both X-Trail and Qashqai, at $4200, but explained there are additional considerations in the larger SUV because of the choice of five- or seven-seat configurations.

“On X-Trail we do have a $4200 walk. The X-Trail is a little bit more complicated with seven-seat options, and not. So in terms of that walk, there's actually a difference in the features element to it. But on a, let's say, a grade-to-grade equivalent, and we did the $4200 in terms of those increments on X-Trail.

“On Qashqai, following the same path forward - $4200 in terms of that surcharge level as well, said Mr Daly, intimating that, if there were to be – for example – a Qashqai ST-L e-Power, that it would be listed at $46,390 +ORCs.

“In the future, if we introduce a lower-grade (Qashqai e-Power), I can’t give a commitment on what that surcharge looks like, but directionally as we stand here today, directionally it would be similar but we'd need to cross that path in the future.

“In the crossover segment that a Qashqai sits in, the mix of hybrids at the moment is around 10 per cent. So it's been on a growth path… it's gradually improving, but it's not mass yet, in terms of (hypothetically), hybrids are 80 per cent of the market.

“We're following, let’s say, the market path. We'll find our own path in terms of where we think the right introduction is for e-Power on Qashqai at the moment, and then we'll evaluate that as the demand and the need comes for lower grades,” Mr Daly said.

On the topic of the X-Trail e-Power, it is exclusively offered as a five-seat model with all-wheel drive, and while the all-paw powertrain offers a point of difference compared with Qashqai e-Power, there is still no seven-seat model in Australia despite that being available in other markets.

Mr Daly said the brand is “constantly evaluating” demand and variant offerings, including for a potential seven-seat e-Power version of the X-Trail.

“The seven seat is something that we look at and (assess if) the customer in an e-Power, looking (to purchase a model with), and utilise, seven seats.

“So the feedback we're getting so far, through dealers and certainly the customer information we have at the moment is not necessarily showing high demand for a seven-seat in e-Power at that level,” he said, before explaining that doesn’t mean the door is shut on the idea.

Nissan certainly doesn’t short-change its customers when it comes to choice in the X-Trail line-up, with two front-wheel drive petrol five-seat models, a pair of seven-seat petrol AWD models, two petrol AWD five-seaters, and three petrol-electric AWD five-seat e-Power grades.

The front-wheel drive, five-seat only Qashqai range currently includes the entry-level ST from $33,890 +ORCs, the slightly better specified ST+ at $37,890 +ORCs, the ST-L at $42,190 +ORCs, and the Ti at $47,390 +ORCs.

Nissan registered 974 units of the Qashqai in February 2024, which was a record for the current J12 generation since it was introduced in late 2022.

So far in 2024, the Qashqai has accounted for 1465 units in the small SUV below $45K segment, or 5.9 per cent market share.

The best-selling models in that small SUV category to the end of February include the MG ZS / ZST with 4245 units (17.0 per cent share), followed by the Hyundai Kona with 2392 (9.6 per cent) and the GWM Haval Jolion with 2257 (9.0 per cent).