New Nissan Juke Hybrid powered by Renault

It would seem that Nissan has its own e-Power hybrid system, which is installed on many models for different markets. This power plant works in sequential mode: the wheels are rotated by an electric motor, and the gasoline engine operates exclusively in generator mode to recharge the buffer battery. But the Nissan Juke crossover did not receive such a system. These cars are now made only in the UK and are mainly sold in the European market, so in the name of local unification, the new Juke Hybrid has received a power plant from Renault.

We are talking about the E-Tech system, which debuted two years ago and is now used in several Renault models, although Nissan did not use this name. In addition, Juku got the simplest version of the hybrid system – the closest technical relative was not even the Renault Captur E-Tech SUV, but the Clio E-Tech hatchback.

Aspirated 1.6 (94 hp, 148 Nm) is installed under the hood, which is aggregated with a three-shaft gearbox without synchronizers and clutch. Gear shifts are carried out by cam clutches, and possible jerks are smoothed out by electronics, which coordinate the speeds of the crankshaft of the gasoline engine and the traction motor installed after the gearbox (49 hp, 205 Nm). The drive is on the front wheels.

Such a hybrid can start only with electric traction – the operation of the gasoline engine at idle is excluded, it can be connected after the start of movement. The gearbox has two gears for the electric motor and four for the petrol. As planned, this design allows to reduce losses and reduce fuel consumption. Finally, there is a starter-alternator (20 hp) that can also help the gasoline engine by “twisting” the crankshaft.

The Nissan Juke Hybrid has a modest 1.2 kWh traction battery. It is installed under the trunk floor, so the volume of the compartment itself has been reduced from 422 liters for the petrol version to 354 liters. Recharging the battery from the outlet is not provided. However, in purely electric mode, such a hybrid can accelerate to 55 km / h.

An e-Pedal mode is provided, in which acceleration and deceleration control is assigned only to the accelerator pedal. Regenerative deceleration up to 0.15 g is carried out up to a speed of about 5 km / h, after which the regular brakes are turned on. The developers promise that in the city Juke Hybrid will be able to move only on electric traction 80% of the time – the battery is recharged not only from the internal combustion engine, but also by recuperation during frequent braking. Average fuel consumption is 5.2 l/100 km, which is 20% less than the gasoline Juke.

Externally, the hybrid version differs from the petrol version with a new grille. The signature “V” pattern has been changed, the air intake area has been reduced, and automatic blinds have been installed in front of the radiator, which open only when necessary. The shields and linings under the bottom and in front of the wheels have been revised, the spoiler on the fifth door has been enlarged: all to reduce aerodynamic drag, although the Cd value has not been named, finally, new rims with a diameter of 19 (like the Nissan Ariya electric car) and 17 inches.

There is no photo of the interior, but the changes are subtle: instead of a tachometer, an energy balance scale appeared, and new “electromobility” sections appeared in the on-board computer menu. Sales of Nissan Juke Hybrid in the European market will begin this summer.