Record-breaking Nissan Qashqai covers 1,230 miles on a single tank

The Nissan Qashqai has broken a Guinness World Record for completing the most mileage without refuelling or recharging in a non plug-in hybrid. 

The Qashqai covered 1,230 miles over a three-day period in Colombia, proving just how efficient the Japanese manufacturer’s latest generation e-Power self-charging hybrid system can be. 

Driven between Colombia’s capital of Bogota and the Caribbean coast, the car coped with a variety of challenging real-world conditions including heavy traffic and mountainous roads. This didn’t seem to affect the Qashqai’s efficiency, though, as its fuel consumption would have breached 101.5mpg in order to cover the record-breaking distance. 

The e-Power hybrid system uses the Qashqai’s 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine as a generator to then power the wheels via an electric motor. This keeps the petrol unit operating at its most efficient level, letting the e-motors take the strain as the driver asks for acceleration. 

In this set-up, the battery is big enough to capture and store a reasonable amount of energy from the regenerative braking, without being so large as to require outside charging in the fashion of a more traditional plug-in hybrid. This gives the e-Power an EV-like driving experience, with instant torque and smooth operation at low speeds, but without the need to plug in to charge the battery. 

This powertrain option has been available in the Qashqai for a few years now, but significant advances in efficiency and driveability have been made with the latest third-generation set-up, with upgraded battery capacity and  improved performance from the electric motor. 

Official UK mpg figures under the WLTP testing regime see the Qashqai rated at a much more conservative 65.7mpg on the combined cycle, but our experience with the car over a six-month test period saw a figure closer to 54mpg – meaning that some serious hypermiling was likely in play during this record-breaking drive. 

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