Nissan e-POWER and ICE cars to reach price parity ‘around 2026’

Nissan has announced plans to reach price parity with its combustion-engined cars and electric-drive e-POWER hybrid models by “around 2026”.

The goal is part of a new ‘X-in-1’ strategy announced today where the Japanese car-maker promises to lower costs of electrified powertrain components – in both development and manufacturing – by 30 per cent (compared to 2019), which includes EVs as well as hybrids.

Nissan senior vice-president Toshihiro Hirai said the new targets would be achieved via parts sharing, powertrain modularisation and the advancement of current technologies.

“The cost of internal combustion engines are expected to rise given the increasing stringency of emissions and fuel economy regulations,” he said.

“As far as electrified vehicles are concerned, technological innovations of batteries and electric powertrains are going to reduce costs.

“With regards to e-POWER, we aim to achieve its cost to reach a level that comparable with that of ICE around 2026.”

In Australia, the Nissan X-TRAIL e-POWER – the only model currently available with the tech – carries a $4200 price premium over equivalent ICE models.

The X-TRAIL e-POWER combines a 106kW/250Nm 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with two electric motors (150kW/330Nm and 100kW/195Nm) for a total power output of 157kW. Fuel economy is quoted at 6.1L/100km.

In comparison, the combustion-engined X-TRAIL relies on a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol that manages 135kW/244Nm and returns 7.8L/100km.

Nissan says its X-in-1 strategy has already yielded a ‘3-in-1’ prototype battery-electric powertrain featuring a modularised motor, inverter and reducer destined for future EV models.

Future e-POWER models will have a ‘5-in-1’ system, adding a modular generator (ICE) and increaser.

The core components for both EV and e-POWER systems will be produced on the same production line and, according to Nissan, will be smaller, lighter and use fewer rare earth materials (to be less than one per cent of magnet weight).

“Through our innovations in electrified powertrain development, we’ll continue to create new value for customers and deliver 100 per cent motor-driven vehicles – EVs and e-POWER – as widely as possible,” Hirai concluded.

Whether this includes the next-generation Nissan Navara ute remains to be seen, but Nissan executives have previously confirmed e-POWER would systematically replace diesel engines within its global portfolio.

The company has also emphasised the benefits of the dual-motor e4ORCE system over traditional four-wheel drive systems.

The next Navara is being developed in tandem with the sixth-generation Mitsubishi Triton, a plug-in hybrid version of which has already been confirmed.

Nissan’s regional product planning and strategy manager Ilya Deminov told Australian media last year that Nissan would always choose e-POWER over a PHEV system as the “main technology” for its model range.

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