Nissan, the Japanese automaker is planning to launch a range of new cars in the country. The company’s global hatchback – Nissan Note – has been spotted testing in India. The car was spied in Tamil Nadu, where Nissan-Renault Alliance has production facility & R&D centre.
Few media reports suggest that Nissan is considering the Note hatchback for the Indian market. The vehicle likely to be launched in India will be a petrol-electric hybrid car. Nissan had launched the updated Note in the global markets last year. The vehicle looks like a mix of hatchback and an MPV, featuring a cab-forward design. Measuring 4,100mm in length, the Note is a 5-seater car. It is based on the V-platform, which is also used to develop Micra and Sunny. Also Read – Nissan Micra Fashion Edition
The Nissan Note’s spotted model was imported from Japan, where it is available with electric powertrain. The test mule does not have any e-Power badges on body. It is quite early to comment whether the spotted car is equipped with an electric motor or a regular petrol/diesel powertrain.
The Nissan Note e-Power powertrain comprises of HR12DE 1.2-litre petrol engine, power generator, invertor and the EM57 electric motor. The petrol engine develops 79PS and 103Nm of torque, while the electric motor is good for 109PS and 254Nm of torque. Interestingly, the car won’t require external charging as the petrol engine is good enough to charge the small 1.5 kWh battery.
The Note e-Power offers an impressive fuel economy of 37.2kmpl in the Japanese test cycle. Few media reports also suggest that the Nissan may use the e-Power technology in the next-generation Micra, which is due for the launch in 2018-19. With no benefits on hybrid cars under GST regime, it would be a big challenge for Nissan to price these vehicles competitively.
