Premcar hints at an electrified future

AUSTRALIAN vehicle remanufacturing firm Premcar – currently best known for its Nissan Navara- and Patrol-based Warrior off-road offerings – is eyeing an electrified future, saying it will work with partnered OEMs to develop appropriate vehicles where such opportunities exist.

Speaking with Australian motoring media at the launch of the MY24 Nissan Patrol Warrior at Premcar’s homebase in Epping, Victoria this week, engineering director Bernie Quinn said the ability to adapt and re-engineer electrified models for the Australian market is not beyond the scope of the firm’s capabilities.

“While we don’t have anything in the pipeline right now, we do have, obviously, a need to adapt to the market – and it’s an interesting question for me because it ties back to the NVES discussion,” he explained.

“If we take the Patrol Warrior as an example, you can’t make an electrified Patrol Warrior that meets all our brand’s non-viables. That’s just a fact. Three-and-a-half tonne towing, the ability to go out into the bush, that can’t happen with the current level of technology available.

“Customers drive the market demand (in that instance). But what we can do is bring in other products via this NVES program to offset the CO2 (emissions) from the products that customers want.”

As to whether other products from within the Nissan range – those already featuring all-wheel drive and electrification, such as the X-Trail e-Power – could offer a business case suitable to ‘Warriorisation’, Mr Quinn suggested there is already a plan on the table.

“The simple answer is yes … there are products in the existing Nissan portfolio that would lend themselves well to a Warrior-type conversion, and while I am so tempted to talk about specifics, I’m not going to,” he hinted.

In terms of the existing Navara and Patrol offerings – which are both scheduled for model renewal in the not-too-distant future – Nissan Oceania managing director Andrew Humberstone said the opportunity to again offer a locally-developed Warrior product was something that is already under discussion.

“The relationship we have (with Premcar) is a solid one, and while it’s not something we normally talk about openly … we are obviously in discussion with Bernie and the team about what we can do with future product going forward,” he said.

“The dialogue is open, and we have a portfolio of products that we’re looking at, and obviously we are really focusing on what Australian customers want, and what products we think we can expand the Warrior brand into.”

As to whether Nismo Patrol and Navara posing a threat to the Warrior program, Mr Humberstone was circumspect, saying he believed the Premcar offering will continue to hold its own.

“I wouldn’t say so, no. We’re looking at the Australian component, and I think the relationship we have with Bernie and with Premcar is very important to us,” he concluded.