Island lapped on a tank
The 2026 Qashqai has covered more than 1,300km on a single tank to demonstrate the real-world efficiency of Nissan’s latest e-Power hybrid technology.
It took 55 litres of fuel to complete a lap of Tasmania with the route traversing some of the island’s most demanding and scenic roads.
The vehicle ultimately travelled 1,303km before refuelling for an indicated average fuel consumption of 4.5l/100km. By comparison, the trip from Hamilton to Queenstown comes in at 1,334km.
The company says the result highlights the real-world efficiency gains delivered by its next-generation e-Power system, which combines EV-like driving characteristics with the convenience of a petrol-powered drivetrain.
Steve Milette, Nissan Oceania’s managing director, says: “This trip isn’t laboratory testing. This is the real world and real conditions. Now, more than ever, drivers are looking for efficiency that doesn’t compromise driving enjoyment and this journey shows the Qashqai e-Power delivers.”
For 2026, the Qashqai introduces an updated powertrain with combined-cycle fuel consumption reduced to 4.1l/100km and carbon-dioxide emissions down to 92g/km.
Central to the update is a new five-in-one powertrain architecture integrating the electric motor, generator, inverter, increaser and reducer into a single unit to reduce weight and complexity while improving energy transfer.
The revised system is paired with a redesigned 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine featuring Nissan’s Starc combustion technology. This helps to deliver thermal efficiency of up to 42 per cent by converting more fuel energy into usable power and cutting energy losses through heat.
The route taken around Tasmania was completed earlier in the year under real-world conditions, and at posted speed limits, across varied terrain including freeways, urban roads and several challenging hill climbs.
In New Zealand, the 2026 Qashqai starts at $53,990 for the ST-L e-Power with the range-topper being the N-Design from $62,990, plus on-road costs.
