Nissan Motor Indonesia has confirmed the Nissan Note e-POWER range extended electric vehicle will be offered in Indonesia and be on display at GIIAS 2017 (Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show).

Nissan expands e-POWER range extended EV to Indonesian market

Previously only available for the Japanese market and launched in November 2016, the Note e-POWER borrows EV technology from the Nissan Leaf and adds a small capacity petrol engine to charge the high-output battery when necessary. The system is not a plug-in electric vehicle like the BMW i3 Rex, but instead relies on the petrol generator to supply electricity to the battery at all times, removing the need to plug-in. The system is seen as ideal for emerging markets such as Indonesia, according to Koito.

Eiichi Koito, President Director of PT Nissan Motor Indonesia, said: “The e-POWER uses only a high-output battery, never the engine, to drive the car’s wheels. The driver can enjoys the quietness, powerful torque and other performance characteristics of an EV, but without having to worry about charging the battery.”

Nissan say the e-POWER power train delivers the benefits of electric drive including the charismatic near-instant torque, which offers superior drive response and smooth acceleration, while keeping the convenience of a traditional petrol-powered car and the refuelling infrastructure.

The system differs from a more conventional hybrid by having a larger electric motor and battery, with the ability to recover regenerative braking energy and put it back into the battery.

It’s unclear yet whether e-POWER technology will make its way to Europe, while the company concentrates on expanding its battery electric efforts, including the highly anticipated next generation Nissan Leaf, due to be unveiled on 6 September 2017.