2020 Nissan Kicks - Dealership in Kanata
2020 Nissan Kicks from our dealership
Each market has its own specificities, but the SUV genre is increasingly popular around the world. To seduce new customers in Asia, Nissan unveils today its new fully electric Kicks dedicated to the Thai market.
Even if the predominance of compact SUVs is primarily a European phenomenon, it must be said that this bodywork is grabbing ground on others around the world. So much so that with some manufacturers, not all SUVs have an international vocation. Nissan has just confirmed this today with the presentation of its new Kicks, reserved for the Thai market. In truth, the Kicks already existed in America and it is rather a good restyling before a new start in Asia. This city crossover, a little bigger than our Juke, would however blend very well in the European landscape, especially since its engine is 100% electric and this is its real novelty.
Thermal but not too much
However, unlike the vast majority of our zero-emission models, this Thai Kicks uses Nissan's e-POWER system. In concrete terms, it is similar to what BMW offered on its i3 city car equipped with the range extender. The i3 is still available in the catalogue, but the famous REX is no longer offered. It is a combustion engine that acts as a generator for the electric motor and has no direct connection to the car's wheels. This kinematics enables vehicles equipped with it to retain their 100% electric status despite the presence of a combustion engine under their bodywork.
Electric without plug
Abandoned in Europe because it emits CO2, this technology is popular in Asia and particularly in Japan, where Nissan is using it on the Note and Serena. Attractive, this powertrain is quite attractive on paper, since it dispenses with the tedious plug-and-play recharging of a conventional electric car. Just fill the small gas tank to "recharge" the battery. In practice, it's not always a pleasure to drive, as there are very few times when the combustion engine - which gives the impression of a permanently running lawnmower engine - is at a standstill.
Technology
Nissan hasn't yet detailed the technical specifications of its new Kicks, but the e-POWER Note does include an 80 kW (about 110 hp) electric motor with 254 Nm of torque and a small 1,200 cc 58 kW (78 hp) generator. Despite the lack of success of this technology in Europe, Nissan has reaffirmed that it will import it on certain models from the Old Continent "by 2022". The Kicks, made in Thailand, won't be coming to us, but the Japanese announced some time ago that the e-POWER system could make its debut on the Qashqai.
