- The Qashqai e-Power traveled 1,230 miles from Bogota to the coast without refueling.
- In the process, it set a record for the longest journey for a non-plug-in EREV SUV.
- The Nissan’s 1.5-liter turbo drives an electric motor and 2.1 kWh battery.
A couple of years ago, Nissan used the Qashqai to set a bizarre Guinness World Record for the highest car bungee jump in history, measuring in at an impressive 213 feet (65 meters). The stunt was performed to help market the facelifted model, although it was obviously completely unrelated to any of the SUV’s features or capabilities.
Now, almost exactly two years later, Nissan has again used the Qashqai to set a Guinness World Record, although this one does actually have something to do with the SUV itself. The Qashqai e-Power now holds the title for the longest journey completed by a non-plug-in extended-range electric SUV, traveling an impressive 1,230 miles (1,980 km) without charging or refueling.
Read: The New Nissan Qashqai e-Power Drives Like An EV But Doesn’t Need Charging
Nissan chose to pursue the record in Colombia between July 14 and 17, working its way from Bogota, positioned in the center of the country, and sitting at 8,660 feet (2,640 meters) above sea level, all the way down to the Caribbean coast.
The carmaker has provided precious few details about the route it took and what fuel efficiency figures it recorded. No doubt helping the Qashqai e-Power was the fact that a part of the journey was downhill, rather than uphill or over flat terrain, allowing the regenerative braking system to be put to good use. When we tested the Qashqai e-Power last year, we averaged 5.3 l/100 km (44.3 US mpg) over a week’s worth of driving, which is decent, although certainly isn’t earth-shattering.
The SUV’s powertrain consists of a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder with 154 hp, which works as a generator for the 2.1 kWh battery and to drive the electric motor, itself with 188 hp and 243 lb-ft (330 Nm) of torque. Thanks to Nissan’s e-Power set-up, the Qashqai drives more like an EV than a hybrid.
“This fantastic record once again shows the capability of the latest generation of e POWER technology,” Nissan corporate executive of family, product & components strategy Richard Candler said. “Qashqai e POWER delivers efficiency, refinement and EV-like driving performance that we have focused around real customer driving needs. It also plays an important role in Nissan’s electrification journey, helping more drivers experience the benefits of electric driving as they move towards a fully electric future.”
