The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that Nissan’s recent TV ads for their e-Power range were misleading to viewers. Four complaints were received regarding the lack of clarity in the ads about the car’s source of power.
Nissan’s e-Power range features a 100% electric motor-driven system that is powered by a combination of a lithium-ion battery and a petrol engine. The ads, which aired in May, June, and September, showed stylized footage of a car driving through a city at night, accompanied by voiceovers that emphasized the excitement of electrification.
The issue raised by the complainants was that the ads did not adequately explain the specific power source of the vehicle. Nissan argued that the ads made it clear that the e-Power vehicles were neither hybrid nor fully electric, but operated using a petrol engine and lithium-ion battery to power an electric motor that directly drove the wheels.
The ASA, however, concluded that the ads did not sufficiently clarify the nature of the vehicle’s power source. The agency stated that viewers would likely interpret the ads as promoting a new electric technology, and that the car did not require charging in the same way as fully electric vehicles. The ads were therefore considered misleading in this regard.
Furthermore, the ASA noted that the ads implied that the e-Power vehicles were environmentally friendly alternatives to traditionally fueled cars. However, since the vehicles required petrol to power the electric motor, they produced tailpipe emissions. This aspect was not adequately communicated in the ads, leading to further misleading claims.
As a result, the ASA ruled that the ads must not be aired again in their current form. Nissan has stated that they will respect the decision and ensure that future ads clearly specify the nature of the vehicle’s power source.
Sources:
ASA ruling: Nissan United Kingdom Ltd, 12 February 2020, https://www.asa.org.uk/rulings/nissan-united-kingdom-ltd-a20-1035032.html
