Nissan’s First U.S. e-Power Hybrid Just Showed Up in California

Out In The Wild

One of the most interesting features coming to the 2027 Nissan Rogue is the brand’s e-Power hybrid system. The redesigned model will arrive in the U.S. later this year, but spy photos provide an early look at the vehicle in the metal on American soil.

The spy photos were shared by KindelAuto on Instagram. The preproduction Rogue, which was spotted in Long Beach, California, should look familiar to those who saw the official reveal in April 2026. This particular example wears a color similar to the Baja Storm Metallic commonly seen on the outgoing Rogue Rock Creek, along with an e-Power badge at the rear.

View this post on Instagram

This Hybrid Does Things Differently

e-Power has been available since 2016, beginning with the Note, but it will make its U.S. debut in the upcoming Rogue. It promises greater fuel efficiency and an EV-like driving experience while still allowing drivers to refuel at a traditional gas station. That is because the gasoline engine serves solely as a generator, while the wheels are driven only by electric motors. This configuration is called a series hybrid, unlike the power-split series-parallel system in the Rogue’s rival, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.

In a Guinness World Records run conducted in Colombia in July 2026, the latest-generation Qashqai e-Power covered 1,230 miles on a single tank. Although the Qashqai – a.k.a. the Rogue Sport in the U.S. – is smaller and lighter than the Rogue, the result highlights the powertrain’s efficiency potential.

This particular spied example with a Tennessee plate also wears an SR badge, which traditionally denotes a sportier design package. It is notably fitted with blacked-out exterior accents, giving it a sportier appearance than chrome trim would. No interior photos were shared, but earlier leaked images from the Middle East suggest that the cabin could feature a switch-type shifter, an infotainment screen and digital gauge cluster framed within a single housing, and a two-spoke steering wheel instead of the outgoing model’s three-spoke design.

KindelAuto/Instagram

Nissan’s Next Big Bet

Nissan will launch the 2027 Rogue Hybrid e-Power in late 2026, followed by a gas-only version in 2027. It should help the Japanese marque remain competitive in the lucrative compact-crossover segment while capitalizing on growing U.S. demand for hybrids amid slowing EV growth.

The company has also reportedly indicated that additional e-Power models could follow in the U.S., with the Kicks considered a possible candidate.