NISSAN is cutting prices of two of its Qashqai models and keeping others unchanged as it launches the latest versions of its top-selling e-POWER electrified cars.

The British-built Qashqai crossover is seeing the prices of N-Design and Tekna models reduced by £50 while Acenta Premium, N-Connecta and Tekna+ grades stay as they are.

It means the five-model range starts from £34,860 for the e-POWER Acenta Premium and tops out at £43,210 for the e-POWER Tekna+ with e-POWER N-Design now cut by £50 to £39,680 and a similar amount off the e-POWER N-Design model at £39,680.

The e-POWER N-Connecta remains available from £37,330.

What makes e-POWER unique is the wheels of the Qashqai are driven solely by a powerful electric motor, with an efficient 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine used purely to generate electricity and recharge the on-board battery - meaning drivers get to enjoy the refinement, instant response and smooth, linear acceleration of an EV, but with the convenience and familiarity of filling up at a petrol station.

The latest iteration of e-POWER in the Qashqai sees fuel efficiency increases by 15 per cent to 62.8mpg giving a potential range of745 milesand CO2 emissions decrease from116g/km to 102g/km - a 12 per cent reduction.

In addition Nissan has increased the power of the Qashqai engine by some 15bhp to 201bhp up from 188bhp in Sport Mode and increased service interval to 12,000 miles from 9,000 miles to reduce total cost of ownership.

Production of the Qashqai with new e-POWER has already begun at Nissan's record-breaking Sunderland plant, where 4.5 million Qashqais have been built since 2006 - an average of a car every two-and-a-half minutes for 19 years.

James Taylor, managing director of Nissan GBsaid "We are tremendously excited to bring the latest version of our incredible e-POWER technology to UK customers - and we're very proud it's being built right here in the UK.

"Now with significantly improved fuel efficiency, refinement, performance and emissions - delivered at no extra cost to customers - we are confident that the multi-award-winning Qashqai e-POWER will continue to be one of the UK's most popular cars.''