As sales continue to plummet, Infiniti is in a key moment of its very existence. While the Q50 and Q60 models are good alternatives to the usual suspects in the premium segment, their outdated tech puts them at a disadvantage. Infiniti’s brand crisis certainly isn’t helping as the Japanese automaker has renamed its models more times than we can count since its inception in 1989. But after parent Nissan saw a revival, can we expect the same for its luxury arm? Now, however, it would appear Infiniti has gathered its second wind and wants to give us sport-luxury models like the QX55 coupe SUV. More importantly, car aficionado Kirk Kreifels reported that Infiniti would adopt a version of Nissan’s E-Power. It’s called the I-Power (go figure) and the future of the Japanese luxury brand might very well depend on it.
The Future Of Infiniti
Infiniti needs to get its next models right if it wants to be back on the radar of luxury car buyers. While the Infiniti Q50 and Q60 proved to be popular with enthusiasts due to its well-known platform (that’s over 20 years old now) and tuner-friendly VR30 DETT engine, Infiniti sales have been steadily plummeting since 2018 as illustrated here in carfigures.com. The main reasons behind Infiniti’s misfortune is the outdated lineup compared to its direct competitors and the complete absence of BEV models from its lineup altogether.
Over the last three years, the Japanese luxury brand introduced three concept models – a mid-size SUV called the QX Inspiration Concept, a sporty sedan for the “electrified era” called the Qs Inspiration, and the full-size QX60 Monograph Concept. The last one led to the recently introduced Infiniti QX60 three-row SUV, but we are yet to see signs of production versions of the other two appearing anytime soon.
Is The QX55 Groundbreaking Enough?
The short answer is no. It is surprisingly refreshing as it harkens back to the Infiniti FX, which was the brand’s first coupe-like SUV when it came out in 2003. That one was more groundbreaking for its time as it, practically, started the trend of on-road-focused, luxury sports, coupe, and SUVs. It also shared the 350’s VQ35 DE, 3.5-liter V-6 engine.
Meanwhile, the QX55 attempts to replicate the formula in a more eco-friendly manner while attempting to be the same as all other SUV coupes currently on sale. To make matters worse, the QX55 comes with the KR20 DET engine, which is a variable-compression engine also called the 2.0 VC Turbo. While it packs a respectable 268 horsepower (200 kilowatts) at 5,600 RPM and 280 pound-feet (380 Nm) at 4,400 to 4,800 RPM, it is mated to a CVT unit and we all know what that means – monotonous drowning and rather uninspiring driving characteristics. That’s quite the opposite of what Infiniti’s recent models, mainly the Q50 and Q60 were about.
So What Is Infiniti’s I-Power?
Last year, Infiniti filed a trademark under the “Goods and services” section. So far, Infiniti has been vague with details about its I-Power hybrid drivetrains, but we know it is a version of Nissan’s E-Power, which was recently introduced on Japanese and European models like the Note, Qashqai, and X-Trail. The patent description goes as follows:
"Electric drive unit for land vehicles; bodies for vehicles; automobile chassis; transmissions for land vehicles; steering wheels for automobiles; automobiles and their parts and fittings; automobiles; electric vehicles and their parts and fittings; fuel cell vehicles and their parts and fittings; AC motors and DC motors for land vehicles; mechanical elements for land vehicles; shafts, axles or spindles for land vehicles; bearings for land vehicles; shaft couplings or connectors for land vehicles; axle bearings for land vehicles; power transmissions and gearing for land vehicles; shock absorbers for land vehicles; springs for land vehicles; brakes for land vehicles; driving motors for land vehicles; hybrid system for automobile, trucks, vans, sport utility vehicles, motor buses, recreational vehicles (RV), sports cars, racing cars; electric automobiles; hubs for vehicle wheels; vehicle wheels; propulsion mechanisms for land vehicles."
How Does Nissan E-Power Work?
Unlike a conventional hybrid system in which both the combustion engine and electric motor power the wheels, Nissan’s E-Power uses the engine to feed a power generator. This feeds the battery which then outputs to the inverter which in turn, outputs to the electric motor. Nissan claims E-Power combines all benefits of a fully-electric vehicle such as instant response and massive torque, minus the range anxiety. In Nissan’s current lineup, the technology is paired with small inline-three and inline-four engines ranging from 1.2 to 1.5 liters, but Infiniti’s I-Power version is expected to be a lot more performance-oriented.
While Infiniti’s concept suggests exciting times are coming for the brand, the QX55 proves that the brand is playing it safe, which would automatically deprive it of the individuality it so desperately needs in order to be taken at least half as seriously as BMW or Lexus.