Nissan Kicks e-Power to be displayed at Malaysia Autoshow 2024, hybrid powertrain preview?
The 2024 Malaysia Motor Show is just a few days away and one of the upcoming brands, Nissan, has already introduced its product line-up on display. Distributor Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) appears to be rolling out a number of its current models, including the C27 Serena J Impul (no, not the new one C28), Almera Kuro version (No, it’s not face lift) and an extremely rugged version of Navara.
But there’s another car that will be on display at the event, and the not-so-disguised teaser suggests it will be the Kicks e-Power. B-segment crossover – compete with Honda HR-V in other markets – will showcase the hybrid powertrain, which functions similarly to Honda’s Intelligent Multi-Mode Driving (i-MMD) system found in its e:HEV models.
In Kicks, the hybrid system focuses on 129 horsepower/260 Nm, drawing power from a 1.57 kWh battery. The latter is powered by a 79 kW/103 Nm HR12DE 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, which operates solely as a generator. Unlike the Honda version, there is no lock-up clutch to allow the ICE to directly drive the wheels.
It’s tempting to take this as a sign that the Kicks will finally go on sale in Malaysia soon – after all, its arrival was announced as early as 2022. But the ship has very much sailed on that ship, especially since there’s a brand new model currently on sale in the US.
Instead, the Kicks will likely serve as a teaser for another model with e-Power technology – similar to the Note e-Power. displayed at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) returned in 2018 to gauge public interest.
This unconfirmed shoe is expected to be the C28 Serena. The MPV, which made its debut in 2022, is no longer available in mild S-Hybrid form, which was until now the only powertrain choice for C26 and C27 Serena in Malaysia.
Instead, the only electrified version uses a more powerful 163 PS/315 Nm electric motor and a larger 98 PS/123 Nm HR14DDe 1.4-litre direct injection three-pot generator. The car is already there seen being tested locally and is therefore long overdue for its launch in Malaysia.
COLLECTION: Nissan Kicks e-Power
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