Nissan Qashqai’s cheap Tasmanian trip
the 2026 Nissan Qashqai drove around Tasmania on a single tank of fuel. Photos: Nissan
To demonstrate the real-world efficiency of Nissan’s latest e-POWER hybrid technology, the 2026 Nissan Qashqai set out to complete a lap of Tasmania on a single tank of fuel.
Covering more than 1300 kilometres on 55 litres of fuel, the route traversed some of the island’s most demanding and scenic roads. That’s a distance comparable to driving from Hamilton to Queenstown (1334km, excluding 95km Cook Strait ferry crossing between Wellington and Picton).
The vehicle ultimately travelled 1303km before refuelling, at an indicated average fuel consumption of 4.5L/100km average.
It average fuel consumption of 4.5L/100km average.
The result highlights the real-world efficiency gains delivered by Nissan’s next-generation e-POWER system, which combines EV-like driving characteristics with the convenience of a petrol-powered drivetrain.
“This trip isn’t laboratory testing, this is the real world and real conditions, completing a dream lap of Tasmania that so many customers from the Oceania region have either done, or would love to,” says Nissan Oceania Managing Director, Steve Milette.
“Now more than ever New Zealand drivers are looking for fuel efficiency that doesn’t compromise driving enjoyment, and this 1300km real-world journey shows that the Nissan Qashqai e-POWER delivers.”
The Qashqai trip was to show the latest e-POWER hybrid technology.
For 2026, Qashqai introduces an updated e-POWER powertrain with combined-cycle fuel consumption reduced to 4.1L/100km and CO2 emissions lowered to 92g/km#.
Central to the update is a new ‘5-in-1’ powertrain architecture integrating the electric motor, generator, inverter, increaser and reducer into a single efficient unit, further reducing both weight and complexity while improving energy transfer.
The revised system is paired with a redesigned 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine featuring Nissan’s proprietary STARC combustion technology, helping deliver thermal efficiency of up to 42 per cent by converting more fuel energy into usable power and reducing energy losses through heat.
The Nissan Qashqai covered more than 1300 kilometres on 55 litres of fuel,
It was a feat made possible by the proven real-world efficiency of Nissan’s e-POWER
technology, which delivers an EV-like drive experience free of any kind of range anxiety.
Importantly, this lap was completed earlier in the year, under real-world conditions, and at the posted speed limits, across varied terrain including freeways, urban roads and a number of challenging hill climbs.
The 2026 Qashqai starts from NZ$53,990.
