Nissan's '3rd Generation e-POWER': Next-Generation Electrification Strategy Aiming for 50% Thermal Efficiency with 5-in-1 Integration and New Combustion
Overall Summary:
This video explains how Nissan's series-hybrid technology, 'e-POWER,' has evolved into its 3rd generation, aiming to fundamentally improve its weak points—power generation efficiency and high-speed fuel economy—in addition to its established strength of 'EV-like driving.' Because e-POWER uses the engine solely for power generation and runs exclusively on the motor, it excels in linear acceleration and quietness; however, it has faced challenges with fuel economy degradation during high-speed cruising due to frequent power generation control. The 3rd generation features a '5-in-1' electric unit that integrates the motor, inverter, generator, reduction gear, and speed-up gear to reduce losses, achieving a smaller, lighter, and quieter system. Furthermore, the dedicated power-generation engine has been revamped, achieving over 42% thermal efficiency through the STARC combustion concept, high compression ratio, high EGR, and lean-burn technology, with a future goal of reaching 50% thermal efficiency by incorporating exhaust heat recovery. In conclusion, the 3rd generation e-POWER is not a 'stopgap technology' but is evolving as a realistic and sustainable solution for the electrification era.
[Shocking] Super Evolution! The 'New e-POWER' Developed by Nissan is Incredible! [42% Thermal Efficiency]
Full Transcript:
Nissan's proprietary electric technology, e-POWER, has become something incredible.
Until now, e-POWER has been praised for its pleasant driving feel, but Nissan has not stopped there; they have taken a step toward further evolution, armed with a world-class thermal efficiency figure of 42%.
What has changed in this technology, which has been refined through an approach different from Toyota's or Honda's, and how far is it trying to reach with the 3rd generation?
In this video, we will take a detailed look at the contents and innovative technologies of the 3rd generation e-POWER, as well as its future vision, which looks toward 50% thermal efficiency.
Nissan's e-POWER is an electric powertrain with a philosophy fundamentally different from the hybrids of Toyota or Honda.
Its greatest feature is that the engine is strictly for power generation, and the car is always moved solely by an electric motor.
Therefore, the driving feel is closer to an EV than a gasoline car, achieving both powerful, lag-free acceleration in response to accelerator operation and high quietness.
This e-POWER first appeared in 2016 with the minor change of the Note.
With its easy-to-understand structure of generating power with an engine and driving with a motor, combined with its catchy naming, it immediately garnered attention in the market and became a symbol of Nissan's electrification strategy.
Currently, it is deployed in a wide range of vehicle models, such as the Note, Note Aura, and X-Trail, and has achieved a certain level of global success, with cumulative production exceeding 1.5 million units.
A major benefit of e-POWER is its linear and exhilarating acceleration performance in low-to-mid speed ranges.
Thanks to the high torque unique to motor drive, you can experience power comparable to a BEV during starts and city driving.
Because torque rises instantly in response to accelerator opening, stress-free acceleration is possible, and control tailored to the driver's preferences, such as one-pedal driving or smooth movement using creep, is also a feature.
Regarding fuel economy performance, it demonstrates high potential in city and suburban driving.
Since the engine starts only when necessary and efficiently charges via regenerative braking during deceleration, you can easily aim for over 20 kilometers per liter if you drive gently.
In good conditions, it can sometimes reach nearly 30 kilometers per liter, giving it the capability to compete with the Yaris Hybrid and Fit e:HEV.
On the other hand, e-POWER also has clear challenges.
A point frequently noted is the decline in fuel economy during high-speed driving.
Because there is control to keep the battery level above a certain point, engine power generation occurs frequently even during high-speed cruising, which tends to significantly worsen fuel economy as a result.
In 120 km/h zones, there are times when the instantaneous fuel economy drops below 10 kilometers per liter, and the engine noise during power generation can be noticeable, which can be called a weakness.
Also, the impact on fuel economy is significant when using the air conditioner in midsummer or midwinter, and it cannot be denied that the fuel economy fluctuation due to environmental conditions is larger compared to rival hybrids from Toyota and Honda.
Nissan has repeatedly made engine improvements, reviewed control logic, and reduced vehicle weight, but the structural characteristics of a series-hybrid system remain as a fundamental challenge.
As described, e-POWER is a system that carries weaknesses in fuel economy under specific conditions in exchange for the charm of EV-like driving.
Based on various strengths and challenges, Nissan made the decision to evolve e-POWER to the next stage.
That is the development of the 3rd generation e-POWER, which fundamentally re-examined fuel economy and power generation efficiency.
The combustion technology of the high-efficiency engine that forms the core of this new-generation system has been recognized for its innovation and received the 2025 Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME) Thermal Engineering Division Technology Award.
e-POWER has undergone step-by-step evolution until now.
The 1st generation utilized the motor of the Leaf electric vehicle and was equipped in the 2nd generation Note and 5th generation Serena with a simple configuration combined with an existing gasoline engine.
In the following 2nd generation, efficiency and packaging were improved by integrating the motor and generator, and it was deployed in the 3rd generation Note and Kicks.
Furthermore, with the appearance of the X-Trail, which combined it with a 1.5-liter inline 3-cylinder VC Turbo engine adopting variable compression ratio technology, and the Qashqai for Europe, the scope of application was expanded to higher segments.
Also, the 6th generation Serena is equipped with a 1.4-liter engine designed exclusively for e-POWER, aiming to improve power generation efficiency.
This model can be positioned as the 2.5th generation, which enhanced the perfection of the conventional system.
And in the 3rd generation e-POWER, optimization of the entire system is advanced more than ever before.
In addition to revamping the dedicated engine, it adopts a 5-in-1 configuration that integrates the motor, inverter, reduction gear, generator, and speed-up gear, simultaneously realizing a reduction in energy loss and a smaller, lighter size.
At present, it is scheduled to be equipped in the Qashqai, the next-generation Rogue, and even the next-generation large minivan, with the 1.5-liter turbo engine as its core, and its role as a core technology supporting Nissan's electrification strategy is expected to strengthen further.
The 3rd generation e-POWER has achieved an evolution that raises the design philosophy itself one level higher than the conventional 2nd generation.
It is content that can be called a reconstruction to maximize electrification efficiency, not just a mere improvement, and a large difference has been created in all aspects of fuel economy, quietness, and driving performance.
The biggest evolution point is the adoption of the 5-in-1 e-POWER electric unit.
In the 2nd generation, space saving and efficiency improvement were attempted by integrating the motor and generator.
However, in the 3rd generation, they went a step further and completely integrated the five components: motor, inverter, generator, reduction gear, and speed-up gear.
This significantly reduced energy loss that occurred in wiring and connection parts, simultaneously realizing higher output and higher efficiency.
Inside the electric unit, the adoption of rectangular wire coils plays a major role.
Compared to conventional round wires, they can be arranged without gaps, making it possible to flow large currents, which improved acceleration performance and electricity consumption performance.
Also, the inverter is equipped with the latest generation power module and adopts a double-sided cooling structure, which efficiently suppresses heat generation and contributes significantly to efficiency improvement, especially during high-speed driving.
Furthermore, the rigidity of the entire unit has increased due to integration, making it possible to suppress interference with the resonance point on the vehicle body side.
Because high-precision assembly became possible, the wobble of the rotating shaft decreased, and the generation of vibration and noise has also been suppressed.
As a result, the presence of engine noise and driving noise has decreased significantly compared to the 2nd generation, and quietness closer to an EV has been realized.
The engine for power generation has also evolved significantly in the 3rd generation.
In the 2nd generation, improvements were repeated according to the application, but in the 3rd generation, an engine designed completely for power generation is adopted.
By assuming fixed-point operation that keeps the rotation speed constant, it enabled stable combustion even under conditions difficult for normal gasoline engines, such as a high compression ratio and high EGR rate.
In particular, Nissan's proprietary STARC combustion concept is introduced in the power-generation-specialized engine equipped with a turbo.
By optimizing the intake port shape and devising the piston shape, a strong tumble flow is generated inside the cylinder, and the airflow around the spark plug is precisely controlled.
This makes combustion less likely to be disturbed even if the EGR rate is increased, realizing both thermal efficiency and output.
Through such comprehensive evolution of the electric unit and power generation engine, all aspects of fuel economy performance, quietness, and smoothness of driving have been raised from the bottom up in the 3rd generation e-POWER compared to the 2nd generation.
Next, what should be noted is the adoption of the next-generation motor and SiC power semiconductors.
For the inverter, silicon carbide, which has less power loss compared to conventional silicon semiconductors, was adopted.
This made higher output possible while suppressing heat generation, and further miniaturization and higher efficiency were realized through the double-sided cooling structure.
Also, the magnets used in the motor have been reviewed, and the usage amount of heavy rare earth elements has been reduced to 1% or less by mass ratio.
This leads to a reduction in environmental impact while simultaneously suppressing resource price fluctuations and geopolitical risks.
And what can be called the symbol of the 3rd generation e-POWER is the engine dedicated to power generation, which looks toward 50% thermal efficiency.
Maximizing the characteristics of a series hybrid that does not directly drive the tires, the engine is designed to operate only in the most efficient rotation speed range.
By adopting the STARC combustion concept, stable combustion is possible even with a high compression ratio and high EGR rate, realizing efficiency improvement through lean-burn combustion.
As a result, thermal efficiency has been raised from the conventional approximately 40% to over 42%, and fuel economy has also improved by approximately 15%.
These innovative technologies do not function as independent evolutions but as a comprehensive design to simultaneously establish integration, higher efficiency, and resource strategy.
It can be said that the 3rd generation e-POWER has stepped into the next stage as a realistic and sustainable solution to survive the electrification era, not as a stopgap technology positioned between EVs and gasoline cars.
The greatest arrival point that the 3rd generation e-POWER depicts is the unprecedented level of 50% engine thermal efficiency.
Thermal efficiency is an index showing how much of the energy possessed by fuel could be extracted as effective power, and approximately 40% to 42% is considered the highest level for current mass-produced gasoline engines.
In fact, it took approximately 30 years of technological innovation to raise thermal efficiency from the 30% range to over 40%.
Nissan is trying to break through that limit with its unique approach called e-POWER.
What is technically supporting e-POWER is Nissan's proprietary STARC combustion concept.
With the intake port, combustion chamber, and piston shape optimized as an engine dedicated to power generation, a powerful tumble flow is generated inside the cylinder, forming a stable discharge channel around the spark plug.
This enables reliable combustion even under conditions where combustion is usually prone to instability, such as lean-burn combustion containing a lot of air or high EGR.
Already, Nissan has succeeded in demonstrating 50% thermal efficiency in simulations that assume the introduction of an exhaust heat energy recovery system, in addition to basic technologies such as long-stroke and friction reduction, intake and exhaust energy recovery using STARC combustion and a dedicated turbo.
Furthermore, it realized 42% net thermal efficiency through the reduction of cooling loss by exhaust heat recovery technology.
From here, it is trying to challenge the dimension of 50% thermal efficiency by combining complete fixed-point operation due to future improvement in battery performance, more advanced lean-burn combustion control, further reduction of friction loss, and exhaust heat recovery technology.
If this is realized, the gasoline engine will evolve from an existence with poor fuel economy into a high-efficiency generator of a leading role even in the electrification era.
How far will the challenge unique to Nissan, which fused the engine and electric technology, push up the next-generation fuel economy performance?
I have high expectations for future evolution.
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