Nissan Kicks e-Power set for the debut on May 15 in Thailand

KUALA LUMPUR: The onset of COVID-19 pandemic has delayed several new model launches this year, and 2020 Nissan Kicks ePower is one of those. Originally supposed to be launched in March, the highly anticipated hybrid model is finally coming to Thailand this week. The new launch date is May 15, 2020, as per the Facebook video post by Nissan Thailand.

Earlier this month, Nissan announced that it would soon be commencing the production of vehicles with e-Power drive in Thailand, which be the first country outside Japan to produce the brand's innovative electric drive system. The e-power system uses the petrol engine to charge the battery of an electric vehicle, which means it does not need to recharge at the charging station. 

As per the social media invitation, the official unveiling will take place this Friday at 7:00 PM (8:00 PM local time). This will be the Kicks e-Power regional debut in South East Asia. Nissan has also started a countdown clock on its website, showcasing a few exterior features of the car. The caption reads as “A new thrill is coming” referring to the all-new Nissan Kicks. 

Based on the teaser images, the new front of the car now comes with a wider V-motion grille similar to next-generation X-Trail, a revised front bumper, sharper headlights, and sleeker air intakes. On the rear front, the new iteration will be getting a new set of LED taillights having a much sharper design than before. Also, a part of the rear bumper now comes in body-colored, which clearly makes a difference between the pre-facelift model having an unpainted bumper or just a simple chrome accent one.

Under the hood, Nissan Kicks e-Power will be powered by a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine producing 79 PS of power and 103 Nm of torque. The engine does not drive the wheels but acts as a generator for powering the EM57 electric motor, finally producing a total output of 129 PS and 254 Nm.

About the launch of refreshed Nissan Kicks with e-Power in Malaysia, nothing has been confirmed yet.

Also read: Nissan Malaysia introduces online showroom