Nissan’s Strategy Behind Hybrid ‘Shock Therapy’ in the SUV Segment: Why Not an EV? – times of India

Car sales have increased amid festive fervor and demand for EVs is on the rise. On the other hand, the government is working hard in preparing the roadmap for electrification and is also working in alternative fuels. However, amidst all these exciting mobility possibilities, there has been a strong stream of hybrid vehicles in the Indian market with some major automakers exclusively sticking to the technology. but why? Do they know something that others don’t?
Nissan India is the latest global automaker to bet on a strong hybrid for India. The company today showcased its Qashqai, Juke and X-Trail SUVs for India and all three SUVs will offer robust hybrid powertrains when they arrive. The X-Trail is already under trial in the country and will be launched soon. The Qashqai is also undergoing trials in India and if all goes well, the Juke will be the last one to be launched. But when that happens, Nissan will have a notable competitor across multiple SUV sub-segments, offering a gateway into hybrid fuel-efficiency and electrification without the immediate challenges associated with EVs.

In an exclusive interview, TOI Auto talked about Mohan WilsonNissan India’s director of marketing and product, to try and understand why the company is pushing hybrids for this new phase of expansion in the country.
Wilson began by saying, “In the current situation with EVs, there is a concern of limits and the infrastructure is still being built. In our E-Power Hybrid, you get the EV experience without worrying about charging We are moving towards ‘Ambition 2030’ which is our global strategy and as part of this we are developing market specific strategies to move forward and the same applies to India before moving on to the next phase ”

According to Wilson, hybrids offer the customer the best of both worlds. For example, Nissan’s E-Power drives the wheels via power delivered by an electric motor, so you get instant acceleration in straight-line performance, with the ICE engine kicking in to generate electric power and assisting at high speeds. -in does. It gives a user the feel of an EV while also having the convenience of not needing to plug them into a charging point.
However, we were still curious to know why Nissan, one of the first automakers to introduce an EV with its Leaf model in the world, bet its India expansion fortunes on hybrids. Chosen. A technology called by some automakers like Tata Motors is only transitional and not a permanent solution.

To this effect, Wilson said, “We encourage and nurture the platform set by the government in terms of electrification, a trend towards promoting electrification. We can build on this, the technologies and products we have.” But we will do so when the market is right for us to venture into EVs. In terms of hybrids, this will be a key technology in the future due to the charging infrastructure and grid supply constraints in many countries. For full electrification you have both It is necessary to have, because it is important.
Wilson’s reservation on when is the right time for EVs in India has been penned down by Takuya Tsumura, President and CEO, Honda Cars India, who recently told TOI Auto, “In countries like Japan and India, hybrids are more affordable, which makes them more desirable. by our customers. Then there is the matter of infrastructure as well. Countries that have an extensive charging network to support electric vehicles are more suited to fully electric cars in the current scenario and hybrids to other countries. So EVs are a little question mark for me. At this point, hybrids are one of the best solutions in my books. Of course the long-term direction is towards electric vehicles, but now is not the right time.

In short, while this doesn’t mean that Nissan isn’t bringing any electric vehicles to India, for the time being, hybrids seem to be the better option from a global automaker’s point of view to do business in India. They have the technology and products, but unless the country’s infrastructure and grid supply sources come in place in the coming years, the flow of affordable electric vehicles will be disrupted. On the other hand, this is good news for domestic EV makers, who may enjoy a monopoly on market share for a while.
When asked about the timeline for the arrival of the three new hybrid SUVs, Wilson said, “As you can see, three cars are already on stage, testing has started, the first car will be the X-Trail. And things are moving fast. that I can assure you.”
What are your thoughts on hybrid and electric vehicles for India? Tell us in the comments.