- Nissan is accelerating plans to launch the Rogue e-Power hybrid crossover.
- It will arrive after the plug-in hybrid variant, which misses out on tax credits.
- The plug-in hybrid could land in January with a Mitsubishi-sourced tech.
Earlier this year, the United States Energy Information Administration revealed hybrids made up more than 12 percent of vehicles sold in the first quarter. That’s a huge jump as that number was hovering around 2% as recently as 2020.
The surge in popularity has caught a number of automakers off guard including Nissan. However, the company is working to address this with a pair of eco-friendly Rogues.
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The first could arrive as early as January and Auto News is reporting it will rely heavily on Mitsubishi’s plug-in hybrid technology. While the Rogue PHEV should be a welcome addition to the lineup, insiders are reportedly dismayed it will arrive shortly after the elimination of the clean vehicle tax credit.
This development has reportedly pushed Nissan to lower their sales forecast to less than 10,000 units in 2026. That’s not many and the company is said to be responding to the change by accelerating the launch of the Rogue e-Power.
The model was originally expected to arrive in the first half of 2027, but it may now land sooner. However, it will likely face tariffs as the crossover will reportedly be imported from Japan until US manufacturing begins in Smyrna, Tennessee in 2028.
e-Power models are similar to range-extended vehicles as they have electric motors and an engine that acts as a generator. However, the battery is significantly smaller than on a range-extended EV, which enables the system to be affordable.
The powertrain has been around for years, but it will be new to Americans. The Rogue will be their first taste, but we can also expect an e-Power version of the redesigned Infiniti QX50. Nissan is also said to be exploring the possibility of an e-Power Kicks.
A Rogue Plug-In Hybrid
Getting back to the plug-in hybrid, it’s expected to echo the Outlander PHEV, which uses a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, two electric motors, and a 22.7 kWh battery pack. This setup gives the European model a combined output of 302 hp (225 kW / 306 PS) as well as an electric-only WLTP range of up to 53 miles (86 km).
The facelifted Outlander PHEV will arrive in the United States early next year and give us a better idea of what to expect from its Rogue counterpart. While that’s a few months away, Nissan will reportedly target states where electric vehicles are popular.