Nissan to Strengthen EV Strategy in Mexico through Innovation

Mexico will become the first country in the region to implement Nissan’s e-POWER technology to strengthen the automaker’s electrification strategy, announced Nissan Mexicana as it celebrated its 60-year anniversary in Mexico.

“Today is a very exciting day for us. In addition to celebrating 60 years of presence in the Mexican market, consolidating ourselves as a Japanese brand with a long history in the Mexican automotive industry, we announce the upcoming arrival of e-Power technology in Mexico as part of the strengthening of our electrification strategy,” said during the anniversary event José Román, President of Nissan Mexicana and NIBU.

Nissan’s e-POWER system will create a new driving experience in Mexico, said Román, “offering a 100 percent electric drive, combined with powerful acceleration, instant response and exciting handling, allowing the driver greater peace of mind regarding the range of autonomy of the vehicle.”

The e-POWER technology offers full electric motor drive, according to Nissan. This means that the wheels are 100 percent driven by the electric motor, unlike the conventional hybrid systems, where wheels are driven by an electric motor and a gasoline engine. This system consists in “a high-output battery and the powertrain, which is integrated with gasoline engine, power generator, inverter and a motor.”

Electric vehicles have two different markets and move forward at different rates. In developed countries, electrification is advancing faster due to government policies and incentives. In developing markets, companies are taking a different approach.

“The best fit in terms of technology for markets such as Mexico is e-Power. Whereas hybrid vehicles have a big internal combustion engine and a small electric engine, e-Power has a larger electric motor that powers a small fuel engine. e-Power provides additional benefits as it does not need to be plugged in and has the performance of an electric vehicle at all times. e-Power’s prices consequently remain considerably lower than a fully electric vehicle,” said Román to MBN earlier this year.

With over 55 years of production in the country, Nissan has manufactured over 14 million vehicles and over 15 million motors in its three plants across the country, according to El Economista. Earlier this year, Mexico’s Ministry of Economy through the Mexican Institute for Normalization and Certification (IMNC) granted Nissan Mexicana the "Made in Mexico" seal for the models NP300, Nissan Frontier and Nissan V-drive, all manufactured in its CIVAC plant in Morelos.

Nissan’s commitment with Mexico is reflected both in the manufacturing for local consumption and the production for exports to over 80 markets, according to Román. Since establishing its exports operations in 1972, Nissan has exported 8 million units manufactured in Mexico. “For six decades, Nissan has strived to constantly renew itself, offering innovative products and services, which has positioned us as a benchmark and one of the favorite brands in the Mexican market with 12 consecutive years as a leader in sales,” said Román.

In 2019, Nissan Mexicana set the goal of renewing 60 percent of its vehicles portfolio, aiming to present a fresh offer to its clients. The automaker renewed the Mexican-produced Versa, Sentra, NP300, Kicks and March, in addition to the Altima and Frontier models.