Just just a few days to go until the Malaysia Autoshow 2024, and certainly one of the brands set to be present, Nissan, has teased its lineup for its display. Distributor Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) appears to be rolling out just a few of its current models, including the C27 Serena J Impul (no, not the brand new C28), Almera Kuro Edition (no, not the facelift) and a particularly rugged version of the Navara.
But there’s one other automobile that shall be shown on the event, and the not-very-well-disguised teaser indicates that it can be the Kicks e-Power. The B-segment crossover – which competes against the Honda HR-V in other markets – shall be showing off its hybrid powertrain, which functions similarly to Honda’s Intelligent Multi-mode Drive (i-MMD) system present in its e:HEV models.
Within the Kicks, the hybrid system is centred around a 129 PS/260 Nm, which derives its electricity from a 1.57 kWh battery. The latter is juiced by a 79 PS/103 Nm 1.2 litre HR12DE three-cylinder petrol engine that functions solely as a generator. Unlike Honda’s version, there’s no lock-up clutch to enable the ICE to drive the wheels directly.
It’s tempting to treat this as an indication the Kicks will finally be sold in Malaysia very soon – in spite of everything, its arrival was telegraphed as early as 2022. However the ship has very much sailed on that one, not least because there’s an all-new model now being sold within the US.
As a substitute, the Kicks will likely function a teaser for an additional model with e-Power technology – much like how the Note e-Power was shown on the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) back in 2018 to gauge public interest.
This yet-to-be-confirmed model is anticipated to be the C28 Serena. The MPV, which made its debut back in 2022, is not any longer available in mild S-Hybrid form, hitherto the one powertrain option for the C26 and C27 Serena in Malaysia.
The only real electrified version as a substitute uses a more powerful 163 PS/315 Nm electric motor and a bigger 98 PS/123 Nm 1.4 litre HR14DDe direct-injected three-pot generator. The automobile has already been seen undergoing testing locally and hence is long overdue for its Malaysian launch.
GALLERY: Nissan Kicks e-Power
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This Article First Appeared At paultan.org
