Electric Made Easy: All-new Nissan Kicks e-POWER

What makes the Kicks e-POWER unique?

New technology can be intimidating. 

We can only imagine what it was like when the first airliners started replacing ships when it comes to ocean crossings or when typewriters were replaced by desktop computers, then by laptops, then by smartphones. The pace is fast, and the change can be intimidating.

In the automotive world, that change is happening now. Fuel costs, emissions, and climate change are real concerns, and that has driven the change in how automakers think about mobility.

They have come to a conclusion: Electric is the way to go. 

Nissan is already at the forefront of that technology. They have a long history with electric vehicles, one that stretches back to the forties. 75 years ago, Nissan first explored electric vehicles with the TAMA E4S-47 I. That 4-door sedan seated 4, used a 40V lead-acid battery system and had a cruising range of 65km on a full charge.

It comes as no surprise then that even to this day, Nissan is still the leading authority in electric cars. They revealed the first generation LEAF in 2010, and it became a big hit. They followed it up with the second generation LEAF in 2017, and that's the EV that Nissan also launched in the Philippines. They are the first established auto brand to offer an EV here.

EV, however, still has a way to go especially as infrastructure is racing to catch up. But that's not the case for what Nissan offered next: the Kicks e-POWER.

This B-SUV crossover from Nissan is packed with potential, but what makes it unique? What makes it different from other electrified vehicles in the market? It all begins with something called e-POWER.

e-POWER

Many of the electrified models typically use an engine that drives the wheels with some kind of electric motor assist. Nissan didn't subscribe to that style with e-POWER. Their take is to have only the electric motor drive the wheels, while the engine is the means of charging the lithium-ion batteries for the whole system.

This is a very unique take on electrified drive technology and gives the driver the EV experience such as having instant torque, the beauty of silence, and a smoother drive. 

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e-CONVENIENT 

Many electric cars have a limitation: they have to stay within reach of an EV charging station. The charging stations are starting to catch up, but it will still take some time. That's where the Kicks e-POWER comes in.

Being that it brings its own charging system with it in the form of a 1.2L generator, the Kicks e-POWER isn't limited to the nearest charging station. All you have to really do is gas up and go. 

You can literally drive anywhere, go anywhere, and enjoy the EV experience everywhere. And you can drive it using just the accelerator pedal when you have Eco mode or Sport mode activated. That's the convenience of the e-Pedal step system, and it is a wonderful thing. 

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e-PRACTICAL 

Long gone are the days when electrified vehicles were technological showcases and concepts. They need to be usable, and that's why Nissan selected the Kicks as the ideal model to package with e-POWER technology.

Crossover SUVs are the most practical vehicles around. You get a bit more ground clearance versus sedans, and better visibility all around. 

You get extra space in the Kicks e-POWER, as 5 can comfortably sit inside with 470 liters of cargo space to spare. That means plenty of room for a family for a weekend away. If there's a need for even more room for stuff, then you can fold down the rear seats and gain up to 835 liters of cargo space. 

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There are many more attributes that many who are in the market for a crossover will love with the all-new Nissan Kicks e-POWER. 

Depending on the variant, the Kicks e-POWER could be had with features like Apple Carplay, Android Auto, cruise control, automatic climate control, and genuine leather seats.  The Kicks e-POWER is also available with Nissan Intelligent Mobility features like the Intelligent Around View Monitor (IAVM) with Moving Object Detection (MOD), Intelligent Forward Collision Warning (IFCW), Intelligent Emergency Braking (IEB), Driver Attention Alert (DAA) and Hill Start Assist (HSA). 

What a lot of people will appreciate is the pricing as Nissan wanted to make electrified driving easy and affordable. There are three models to choose from. The Kicks e-POWER can be had for as low as PHP 1,209,000 for the EL variant, PHP 1,309,000 for the VE version, and PHP 1,509,000 for the VL with all the bells and whistles. For worry-free ownership, all models come with a much longer 5-year warranty or 150,000 km (whichever comes first) for the vehicle and its e-POWER system which includes the battery.

What everyone will really enjoy is the benefit of outstanding fuel efficiency. With e-POWER technology, you can get up to 22 kilometers per liter on mixed city and highway driving (UNR 101 standard). 

That means fewer trips to the pump, and more smiles to enjoy the drive.