Rallying a Hybrid: Aragon Baja Rally in X-Trail e-POWER e-4ORCE

A small but passionate team of engineers from Nissan’s Barcelona technical centre has achieved a remarkable feat: they entered and completed the Baja Aragon Rally with a modified Nissan X-Trail e-4ORCE, showcasing Nissan’s innovative e-POWER system. This challenging event, held on July 27-28, tested both vehicle and driver over 500 kilometres of rugged, unforgiving terrain.

The X-Trail, usually a family SUV, underwent significant modifications for this rally. The engineers, a dedicated team of seven from Nissan Technical Centre Europe – Spain (NTCE-S), worked tirelessly outside their regular hours to transform the vehicle. Their upgrades included improved cooling systems, a reinforced suspension, and a safety roll cage. The interior was stripped out to reduce weight, and a competition fuel tank was installed. Despite these changes, the core e-POWER powertrain remained unaltered, proving its resilience and effectiveness under extreme conditions.

Behind the wheel were Jonatan Gijón from the chassis dynamics team and César Fernández from the powertrain tuning team, both seasoned Nissan test drivers. Their expertise was crucial in navigating the grueling rally course, which tested the limits of both the X-Trail and its drivers. The vehicle competed in the “Open” category, a class that allows extensive modifications, with plans to potentially enter the “Stock” category next year, which requires vehicles to be closer to their production specifications, including hybrids.

ABOVE: Nissan Xtrail E4orce ePower complete the Baja Aragon Rally

The journey to the rally began in February 2023 as a passion project. A small team of engineers at NTCE-S saw the potential of the X-Trail and its e-POWER system to withstand rally conditions. Their enthusiasm led them to work on the vehicle during evenings and weekends, supported by Nissan’s leadership, which enabled the project to flourish. This dedication and innovation culminated in a successful rally entry, demonstrating not only the vehicle’s capabilities but also the spirit of Nissan’s engineering team.

Miquel Sasot, Manager of the Powertrain Group at NTCE-S, expressed immense pride in the team’s accomplishment. He noted the challenging conditions of the rally, including extreme temperatures and difficult terrain, and praised the successful completion as a significant testament to the e-POWER system’s durability and the engineers’ commitment. This achievement underscored the robustness of both the e-POWER system and Nissan’s innovative approach to automotive engineering.

David Moss, Senior Vice President of Region Research & Development for Nissan’s AMIEO (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe & Oceania) region, lauded the engineers’ initiative. He emphasised that the project demonstrated the e-POWER powertrain’s durability and aligned with Nissan’s values of innovation and entrepreneurship in research and development.

The e-POWER system, featured in both the Qashqai and X-Trail models, provides a smooth and responsive driving experience by using an electric motor to drive the wheels. This system eliminates the need for plug-in charging while delivering impressive performance. Combined with Nissan’s advanced twin-motor e-4ORCE all-wheel drive system, the X-Trail offers exceptional traction and stability, with over 150,000 e-POWER-equipped vehicles sold in Europe since its launch.

The success of the Baja Aragon Rally by the modified X-Trail exemplifies Nissan’s commitment to pushing technological boundaries and achieving excellence. Coralie Musy, Region Vice President of Brand & Customer Experience, celebrated the achievement as a testament to Nissan’s spirit of innovation and its drive to challenge conventions. The engineers’ dedication to transforming a standard production vehicle into a rally competitor reflects Nissan’s commitment to redefining what’s possible in automotive engineering.

Above: This Week’s VIDEO Car Review – 2024 Peugeot 408 GT PHEV Review Best Peugeot Ever #peugeot408 #alanzurvas, #gaycarboys, #peugeotustralia