Teardown of the Nissan Note e-POWER Inverter and How Its Series Hybrid System Works

e-POWER is Nissan's series hybrid system, in which the engine only generates electricity and never drives the wheels directly. This teardown explains the system's operating modes, its efficiency characteristics, and the internal circuit of the inverter that makes it possible.

■ Series Hybrid System Overview
- System configuration: engine, generator motor, two inverters, battery, and drive motor
- Operating modes: EV driving, regenerative braking, battery charging, combined power supply, engine-driven power
- Thermal efficiency advantage and high-speed fuel-efficiency characteristics, with comparisons to Toyota and Honda hybrid systems and WLTC fuel-economy figures
■ Inverter Structure
- External inspection: battery terminals, motor/generator busbars, coolant ports, and back side
- Film capacitor and laminated busbar structure, including insulation methods compared with the Prius and IONIQ 5
- Two stacked control boards, power semiconductor modules, and current sensors
■ Circuit and Current Flow
- Overall circuit diagram and power flow in each mode
- Regenerative braking on long descents and the engine braking mechanism
■ Component Details
- Capacitor, busbars, microcontroller, gate drivers, IGBT module, resolver IC, and current sensors
- Coolant channel design and component standardization across both channels

Engineers, EV and hybrid technicians, electronics enthusiasts, and anyone curious about vehicle power electronics will gain a clear picture of how a series hybrid inverter is structured and how each part contributes to its operation. The step-by-step disassembly also offers practical reference for those considering their own teardowns.