Nissan Revs Up e-Power Hybrid System on Serena Van

Nissan Motor Co. is launching the e-Power series-hybrid version of its Serena minivan this month in Japan.

The vehicle is the company’s second e-Power model, following the technology’s 2016 debut in the subcompact Note hatchback in Japan. Similar to the Chevrolet Volt, Nissan’s system uses a small gasoline engine to power an electric motor that drives the wheels.

The 7-passenger Serena e-Power is fitted with a 1.8-kW battery and a 100-kW electric motor. By comparison, the lighter Note hybrid uses a 1.5-kWh battery and 80-kW electric motor.

The Note’s 1.2-liter 3-cylinder engine is tweaked to bump output 6% to 84 hp in the Serena. Unlike the Volt and other extended-range hybrids, there is no plug-in capability to charge the battery pack. That is done entirely by the engine.

Nissan plans to use the larger e-Power system as it expands the technology internationally, powertrain engineer Ryuzo Noguchi tells Automotive News. Bigger motors will be needed in Europe and North America for towing and hill climbing capabilities, Noguchi notes.

In January, Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa said the company’s Infiniti premium brand in the U.S. will soon begin offering e-Power. Other executives have indicated high-end Nissan models also eventually will offer the technology as an option.