A MAJOR car brand has their "misleading" e-Power adverts BANNED for suggesting the motor is completely petrol free.
Japanese manufacturer, Nissan, faced backlash after they implied the latest Qashqai model is more of an EV than a hybrid.
The industry giant saw two ads pulled by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after viewers complained it wasn't made clear that petrol was still needed to power the electric motor.
This meant potential buyers could also be more likely to believe the Qashqai was more environmentally friendly, according to the ASA.
In the first advert, Nissan stated the model's e-Power "comprises a 100 per cent electric motor-driven system, powered by a lithium ion battery and a petrol engine".
The slogan read: "Who said electrification can't spark excitement when unplugged?"
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Meanwhile, the second controversial ad featured two Nissan models, the Nissan Qashqai and X-Trail, racing with DC character The Flash.
A voice-over said: "Nissan Qashqai and X-Trail with e-Power. Get your own electrical superpower like The Flash."
The watchdog concluded these adverts would convince viewers that the cars ran on "e-Power", electric technology rather than petrol.
ASA officials added: "However, because the ads did not make sufficiently clear the nature of the vehicle's power source and because it required petrol to power the electric motor, which would produce tailpipe emissions, we considered that the ads were also misleading in this regard.
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"We concluded that the ads did not make sufficiently clear the extent to which the car required petrol and were therefore misleading."
Nissan was ordered to alter the advertisements to make sure they "made sufficiently clear the nature of a vehicle's power source".
A Nissan spokesman said the firm were "disappointed" in the ruling, but will "respect" it.
"We remain fully committed to helping our customers understand the different technologies available to them, including hybrid, e-Power and full electric," added the spokesperson.
They explained e-Power runs on a petrol engine and a lithium-ion battery which powers an electric motor.
"The electric motor alone drives the wheels, providing a uniquely exciting technology that brings customers who are not quite ready for a fully electric vehicle as close to the excitement of EV driving as possible," the company added.
The Japanese manufacturer confirmed the adverts were no longer on the TV and future ads would make the technology clearer.
It comes after the Qashqai was deemed the most popular new car in the UK last year and has long been regarded as an SUV favourite.
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