Cranfield, UK – It’s one thing to boast about efficiency figures in a brochure. It’s another to drive the length of Britain and still have fuel in the tank. Nissan’s new Qashqai e-POWER has just done exactly that.

Two examples of the latest model covered 1,347km from Land’s End to John O’Groats in 18 hours over two days, averaging 3.76L/100km and finishing with enough petrol left for another 160km. The run, carried out by engineers from Nissan Technical Centre Europe in Cranfield, sets a fresh benchmark for the nameplate’s economy credentials.

It’s a neat echo of 2007, when the original 1.5dCi diesel Qashqai achieved 4.2L/100km on the same route. This time, the feat came with a fuel tank 10 litres smaller.

Dean Driver, Vehicle Evaluation Engineer and one of the drivers, said the trip showed “the strength of the new powertrain,” combining a quiet, smooth drive with remarkable range.

Unlike a traditional hybrid, e-POWER uses its petrol engine purely to generate electricity for the motor driving the wheels. That means instant torque, smooth acceleration and low noise – without plugging in.

David Moss, Nissan AMIEO’s Senior Vice President for R&D, said the third-generation system distils years of development to “maximise efficiency, reduce emissions, and enhance driving comfort – all while maintaining diesel-like range.”

The 5-in-1 e-POWER package integrates motor, generator, inverter, increaser and reducer with a redesigned 1.5-litre turbo engine. Nissan’s proprietary STARC combustion concept lifts thermal efficiency to 42%, stabilising in-cylinder combustion for quieter, more effective running at lower speeds.

Production of the Sunderland-built Qashqai e-POWER began in July, with European deliveries due soon. For those who like their long-haul drives uninterrupted, this could be your new best friend.

Qashqai with Latest e-POWER	Spec
Power	140kW (190PS)
Torque	310Nm
Fuel consumption (WLTP)	4.5l/100km
Emissions (WLTP)	102g/km