Nissan ‘X-in-1’ Drivetrain will make E-POWER hybrids as cheap as ICE models

Nissan is aiming to cut production costs for EVs and e-Power hybrids with a new modular process promising a 30 per cent reduction.

Nissan may have squandered the EV lead they had with the LEAF, but they’re now back in the game with the new Ariya and plans for many more EVs – and e-Power Hybrids – to come.

But the problem for EVs, and Nissan’s clever ‘Petrol-Powered EV’ e-Power models, is the cost of production puts the retail price beyond the means of many. 

When it comes to the e-Power drivetrain, which uses a petrol engine to power the battery used to drive the electric motor, it’ll cost you at least £2k more than the equivalent ICE model, but Nissan reckons it can cut the cost of production by 30 per cent (compared to 2019) by 2026 using a new modular drivetrain which will see EV and e-Power drivetrain components modularised.

There’s a 3-in-1 model for EVs packaging motor, inverter and reducer together and a 5-in-1 model for e-Power hybrids which adds a generator and increaser and allows both setups to run down the same production line.

The new modular units will see a reduction in size and weight too – improving range and economy – and there’s a newly developed electric motor too which reduces the use of rare earth materials to just 1 per cent or less by weight.

Toshihiro Hirai, who leads Nissan’s powertrain development, said:

We make the most of our expertise and know-how from our more-than-a-decade long development and production of electrified technologies. Through our innovations in electrified powertrain development, we’ll continue to create new value for customers and deliver 100% motor-driven vehicles – EVs and e-POWER – as widely as possible.

With a plan to deliver 27 new electrified models by 2030 – 19 of them EVs – a reduction in costs with the new modular drivetrain production can only be a good thing.