Nissan introduced a series hybrid system called e-POWER, which is small enough to fit inside the compact Note.
Developers of the e-POWER powertrain borrowed the EV technology from Nissan LEAF, adding a small gasoline engine and a power generator to charge the battery, when necessary as well as the electric motor. e-POWER system is a series hybrid, an electric powertrain with range extender, since the wheels are completely driven by the electric motor, while the gasoline engine simply charges the battery (when the battery is low or when the car travels at high speeds) and is not at all connected to the wheels.
Serial hybrids normally require larger internal combustion engines and high-performance battery packs in order to ensure enough power for the electric motors to run, however Nissan stated that they managed to minimize and reduce weight, develop more responsive motor control methods and optimize energy management. Hence, the new system can be installed in a smaller vehicle, such as Nissan Note, which is basically a cross between a small hatchback and an MPV. e-POWER comes with a smaller battery than the one seen in Leaf, however it still delivers similar dynamic performance.