[Aries]

Chevy is soon to release the Bolt, an electric vehicle that is in the CUV style, and that should be a signal to other brands that they better get their act together and offer up some more diverse EV options to consumers. Back in 2013, Nissan indicated that it would like to put its EVE technology into more models in the lineup, and that could include the Qashqai.

2013 was a while ago now, so is it now time to make the Qashqai an EV?

There are a number of things that point to the possibility of an electric Qashqai. First, the Qashwai is built in the Sunderland Plant. That plant is also responsible for building the all-electric Leaf. So all the tools for production are already consolidated into the same plant making a Qashqai EV a doable product.

We have also heard recently that the Leaf's powertrain can be effectively transferred to a range of different types of vehicles. Nissan Europe's electric vehicle director Jean-Pierre Diernaz told UK's Driving:

We have proven that we have mastered the technology to a point where we take the Leaf technology and put it in a van (the e-NV200), and it works perfectly well. If we have to put it in a small car, we can, if we have to put it in a sports car, we can, and if we have to put it in a bigger car, we can.

It seems that there are a few things that are delaying a Qashqai EV. One obstacle is range-anxiety. While the range that is possible now is sufficient for the driving that most customers will do on a day to day basis, people still have that anxiety because the range numbers don't seem high enough.

literally for all the commuters who are the number one target for EVs, you don’t need more than 150km a day. It’s just a perception; it’s to remove the anxiety.

The other obstacle is accessibility. Nissan needs to ensure that EVs that they build are accessible to everyone.

While hybrids have not been discounted by Nissan, the company was not shy about saying that the ultimate goal is full electrification because there are fewer parts, less maintenance, and lower emissions.

Would you be interested in an electric Qashqai? Do you think it is in the cards for the near future?

 

[Sashimi]

I would be interested but I won't buy one unless it has the same range as the Bolt or better. Nobody wants to get stuck on the road but Nissan's leaf isn't that great with range on a smaller car than the Qashqai.

 

[Aries]

Do you really think you'd get stuck on the road? Like I said in the OP, the range of the Leaf is enough for the daily driving of almost every regular driver.

 

[NissanDriver]

Electric is the way to go with the SUV segment, I know a couple higher end brands are doing just this right now and surely there's going to be a need lower down the food chain for us guys looking to spend no more than around $45k

 

[Aries]

I think the real challenge is being able to provide such a vehicle while keeping the cost that low. I think that is what is stopping a product like this from coming out.

 

[MTB]

but the Bolt is a small hatchback...

AND

You fail to consider that perhaps whats holding Nissan back is that to re work the Qashqai for full EV duty would be prohibitively expensive.

It's one thing for the NV to get EV'd because it caters to a commercial clientele and payback is fairly straightforward. EV Qashqai seems to be more erratic in terms of demand...

Ford produces the Mustang and the Fusion in the same facility but that doesn't mean you can put a V8 intot he Fusion...

 

[Dualis]

Would Nissan go pure electric or hybrid? Didn't Nissan show off the Nissan Gripz at the Frankfurt auto show this year? It had a hybrid powertrain slated for future models and this seems more likely to me than a pure electric car in the near future.

 

[Aries]

Demand might be a bit of an issue at this point, but it certainly will be the case in the near future that EVs will see demand increase dramatically as range gets better and the costs comes down a bit more. It may just all be about timing in terms of the state of the market that makes the price appropriate.

 

[Aries]

Read this article that the next generation Juke is going to have a hybrid powertrain.

Details are limited but Motoring is reporting the model will feature the company's new Pure Drive e-Power system that consists of a small displacement petrol engine, a battery pack and an electric motor sourced from the LEAF. This setup will reportedly enable the model to produce 107 bhp (80 kW) and 187 lb-ft (254 Nm) of torque.

So it appears that the rolling out of the Leaf powertrain into other models is actually getting underway. How exciting.

 

[Dualis]

Maybe they'll step back and observe how well the chevy Bolt sells. I think it may be the first longer range all electric vehicle that's affordable. If it's popular, maybe Nissan will come out with an all electric Qashqai afterwards.

 

[NissanDriver]

Maybe they'll step back and observe how well the chevy Bolt sells. I think it may be the first longer range all electric vehicle that's affordable. If it's popular, maybe Nissan will come out with an all electric Qashqai afterwards.

I highly doubt they need to see how the Chevy Bolt will sell, it's what companies and R&D, partly for seeing how viable a product would be and at the current state of the market its easy to say what will be a good segment to compete in.

 

[Aries]

There seems to be a number of vehicles entering that segment right around now, so I don't think that it is hard to read the tea leaves. I thin the question is if Nissan can adapt the Qashqai to compete in price, and range, with the others.

 

[NissanDriver]

It will depend on how they spec it, wouldn't be surprised if they have to take a slight hit somewhere just to be move relevant in the segment.

 

[Aries]

They could price low and decrease profit margins in order to try to gain market share from competitors.

 

[Sashimi]

Maybe they can do the same as Scion and have 1 trim only with limited options. Decrease the production costs and still make a profit while making it cheap for buyers.

 

[Aries]

Well I'd assume that the Leaf would be down market from an electric Qashqai, so I'm not sure that move would make sense.

 

[NissanDriver]

Well I'd assume that the Leaf would be down market from an electric Qashqai, so I'm not sure that move would make sense.

They can always have one upscale and one downscale model both mono-specs or close to being classified as mono-spec.

 

[Aries]

True enough. There are plenty of options, but right now I think its tech and cost that is holding them back. I'm sure Nissan isn't happy about GM coming out with the Bolt after all the work they have done with development and research regarding the Leaf and EVs generally.

 

[Dualis]

I think Nissan recently said they were going to come out with an electric vehicle in the future. Not sure when but they will and it's aimed at beating the Bolt EV.

 

[NissanDriver]

I think Nissan recently said they were going to come out with an electric vehicle in the future. Not sure when but they will and it's aimed at beating the Bolt EV.

Well they do have the Nissan Leaf, unless you meant something bigger and more rugged. But that would be in a segment above. The Leaf already is a rival to the Bolt.