Nissan’s official distributor in Malaysia, Edaran Tan Chong Motor, has just released a teaser of the Japanese brand’s participation at the upcoming Malaysia Autoshow 2024. In the teaser poster, four models can be seen, including the C27 Nissan Serena J Impul (nope, this ain’t the all-new C28 generation), the Nissan Almera Kuro Edition (and no this isn’t the facelifted model), a beefed-up version of the Nissan Navara, and what seems to be the Nissan Kicks e-Power.
Just in case you are hearing this model for the first time, or you are just not familiar with it, the Kicks is a rival to models like the Honda HR-V and Toyota CH-R in certain markets. Powering the Nissan Kicks e-Power is, as its name suggests, the brand’s e-Power technology, which is a series hybrid system.
This system consists of an electric motor that directly powers the wheels, as well as a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that acts as a generator, resulting in a system output of 129 hp (metric) and 260 Nm. Supplying power to the electric motor is a 1.57 kWh battery.
For the most part, Nissan’s e-Power system operates similarly to Honda’s i-MMD system found in its e:HEV models. However, the engine does not power the wheels directly as there is no lock-up clutch to make that possible.
This isn’t the first time the Nissan Kicks has been teased for the Malaysian market, as the brand has been doing so since 2022. Could this (finally) signify the debut of the Nissan Kicks in Malaysia? Only time can tell.
However, what is for sure is this will be the first time Nissan is showcasing its e-Power technology in Malaysia. If Edaran Tan Chong Motor is to launch the Nissan Kicks e-Power in Malaysia, the SUV will see itself competing with the likes of the Honda HR-V e:HEV RS, as well as the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid.
