Micra engine + Leaf drivetrain + Versa Note = new Nissan e-Power hybrid

[MetroMPG]

Ha. Cool!

I would love to try one of these things... just because it must be so weird.

[MrMicra2015]

i wonder if that makes sense...no battery basically......you would think losses would make that "very" inefficient.???

personally i wouldn't buy a battery powered car because i am skeptical how long the battery would last and it still doesn't make economic sense to me (and if it did..wouldn't everyone be doing it?)
JUST MY OPINION maybe time will change it ...my 14 year old son asked why i don't drive an electric car.

probably because i'd electrocute myself !..because i'd just want to have a bit of a tinker!

[MetroMPG]

i wonder if that makes sense...no battery basically......you would think losses would make that "very" inefficient.???

Yeah, it would seem so on first glance. But 3 main things make it more efficient:

1) The gas engine never idles or runs at loads that are inefficient, which gas cars do much of the time. Instead, it runs at speeds & loads that are most efficient while turning the generator to feed the battery. Also, that generator engine is smaller than the Note's usual gasoline engine, so it's more efficient to begin with.

2) The car can move on electric power (with the generator shut off) for a lot of its low speed driving (city) where gas cars are terribly wasteful.

3) When braking (and coasting), the electric drive motor acts as a generator to capture energy and put most of it back into the battery. In a gas car, that braking energy is 100% wasted as heat & brake dust.

doesn't make economic sense to me (and if it did..wouldn't everyone be doing it?)

Well, ever notice how many hybrid cars there are in big city taxi fleets these days? The technology must make sense to their bottom line.

Also, the batteries of 100% electric vehicles are warrantied for a long time -- more than the usual length of the car. 8 years, I think is the minimum.

probably because i'd electrocute myself !..because i'd just want to have a bit of a tinker!

When I was driving my home-made EV, I only ever crossed wires once. That was quite a spark! And only 48 volts! These new EV's are hundreds of volts!