FLYING KICKS: Nissan’s ‘electric-driven, gas-charged’ compact SUV is instant hit

The Nissan Kicks e-Power is run 100 percent by a compact lithium-ion battery pack that is powered by a gasoline engine via inverter, and augmented through regenerative braking that restores the energy back to the power supply.

Say what?

Electric vehicles have been coming out left and right it’s hard to keep up with all of them. When you’re an ordinary car guy who only sees the vehicle as a means to go from Point A to B, good luck in even distinguishing full EVs from hybrids, plugged-in or battery-fed.

It’s easy to get lost in the technical mumbo-jumbo of this breed of cars. EVs have been here for more than a decade but the Filipino motorist is dragging its feet to embrace them fully.

Main reason would be the lack of understanding. What if the battery charge is running low and there’s no charging station nearby? Or what happens when the car is submerged in flood waters? Does the battery overheat or, much worse, catch fire?

That will be a topic for a separate article but for now let’s focus on the Nissan Kicks e-Power, a sporty compact, crossover SUV. It falls under the category of BEV and deftly described by its marketing tagline: “Electric-driven, Gas-charged.”

Meaning its front wheels are powered by battery that doesn’t have to be plugged in like in the case of PHEV (which runs on either electric and gas).

It totally erased range anxiety because to run its battery, all you have to do is get to the next gas station and fill-up. And that is something you’ll find yourself not doing very often.

The fuel efficiency for the Nissan Kicks e-Power is at least 24 kilometers per liter, 16 on city driving.

Having said that the Kicks e-Power, particularly the top-shelf variant VL (selling for P1.479 million), is a delight to see as well as to drive.

The unit delivered for the week-long drive was in orange which makes it stand out despite the small size — it’s slightly bigger than Nissan’s Juke — and absence of any aggressive lines and designs.

The front grille was in black bookended by V-shaped headlight that lights up automatically at the hint of darkness, like inside an underground parking or underpass.

Fog lights were recessed on both ends of the apron, which is a de rigueur in today’s car designs. Tail light was a throw back to the old X-Trail which completes the spunky look.

Now to actually drive an EV vehicle like the Nissan Kicks e-Power VL you’d need to make an adjustment especially with its sudden burst of speed. Torque is 280 Newton-meters. Even faster than the speedy GAC’s Emkoo, its compact SUV neighbor.

It’s perfect for zooming past standstill traffic, or overtaking cars stuck on the fast lane. It’s satisfying on empty Skyway.

Yet don’t be surprised because once you lift your foot off the accelerator, it decelerates drastic enough for you to notice, but not to jerk you forward through inertia.

That is because by letting go of the pedal (or e-pedal step) it recovers energy back to the motor. The digital dashboard would show you how energy is infused to the motor by the gas-fed engine and the regenerative braking through real-time diagram.

The interior was cozy and highlighted by a wide, touchpad infotainment system. Leather and stitches everywhere except on the dashboard which is soft-feel plastic. Air-condition was also superb in keeping with the Nissan tradition.

The “floating seat” offers support during long traffic, control keys on the driver’s right-hand side are easy to reach and mouse-like shifter didn’t interfere in the neat arrangement.

Back seats were cramped, though, but it comes in the territory of these compact SUVs which would otherwise offer other “perks” like easier navigation through tight traffic and small parking spaces.

It has top-view camera to help with backing and squeezing through traffic; USB and Type C plugs, connectivity with both Apple and Android as well as “Intelligent Forward Collision Warning with Intelligent Emergency Braking” right on the Nissan badge in front.

It allows for smooth, comfortable driving, all in all.

So yes, behind its high-end, high-tech features, what would stick out was what driving the Nissan Kicks e-Power made you feel.