Import a Nissan Note e-Power from Japan to Ireland: what it really costs
Never sold new in Ireland. A series hybrid: the petrol engine only generates electricity and the wheels are always driven by the motor.
The Note e-Power is the other small Japanese hybrid on every Irish forecourt, with hundreds of ads live on DoneDeal at any time. It drives like an electric car, sips fuel like a hybrid, and never needs plugging in, which is exactly the combination Irish buyers ask for.
Like the Aqua it was never sold new in Europe, so there are no EU CO2 or NOx figures on the paperwork. The band Revenue applies comes from a disclosure request, and that is the biggest swing in the landed cost.
- Customs duty
- 0%
- With a Statement on Origin; 10% without one.
- VRT in the scenarios
- 11.25% to 11.25%
- of Revenue’s valuation, by CO2 band
- Landed, incl. fee
- €10,497 to €17,632
- across the scenarios and CO2 assumptions
- Exchange rate
- 180.94 ¥/€
- ECB, 18 Sept 2026, with the 2% buffer
Worked scenarios
Computed with the same engine as the calculator when this page was built. Prices and Irish values are assumptions. The right-hand range shows what happens when the CO2 evidence comes back at 80, 95, 110 g/km. Open any row and replace the assumptions with a real car.
| Car | Price in Japan | Irish value | CO2 → band | Landed incl. fee | CO2 80–110 | Open in calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 HE12 e-Power X, 60,000 kmHybrid | ¥800,000 | €11,500 | 95 → band 5, 11.25% | €10,756 | €10,497–€11,014 | Open |
| 2019 HE12 e-Power, 40,000 kmHybrid | ¥1,100,000 | €14,500 | 95 → band 5, 11.25% | €13,195 | €12,869–€13,521 | Open |
| 2021 E13 e-Power X, 30,000 kmHybrid | ¥1,600,000 | €19,000 | 95 → band 5, 11.25% | €17,204 | €16,777–€17,632 | Open |
- 2017 HE12 e-Power X, 60,000 km: Hammer price and Irish value are assumptions for a grade-4 car; 95 g/km assumes a disclosure in the middle of the likely range for a series hybrid.
- 2019 HE12 e-Power, 40,000 km: A late first-generation car; the Irish value is an assumption inside the DoneDeal spread for 2019 cars.
- 2021 E13 e-Power X, 30,000 km: Second-generation cars are newer to the Irish market, so the value is the least certain input here.
VRT and the OMSP
VRT is a percentage of Revenue’s Open Market Selling Price, its view of the car’s value in Ireland, not what you paid. For a model never sold new here, the value is set by statistical code and adjusted for age and mileage, and it can be appealed with a professional valuation.
The band comes from the CO2 figure the disclosure certifies; the table shows the effect between 80 and 110 g/km. Make sure the disclosure covers NOx too, or the €600 default applies on top.
NOx levy
A series hybrid certifies very low NOx, usually a few euro of levy with evidence and €600 without it. The disclosure fee is worth paying.
Without evidence Revenue charges €600 for petrol and hybrid cars, €4,850 for diesels.
Customs duty and origin
Japanese-built, so 0% customs duty applies under the EU–Japan agreement, provided the exporter supplies a Statement on Origin. Without it, 10% of the customs value is charged. Ask for the statement before you bid, not after.
Built in: Japan (Nissan Motor Kyushu, Fukuoka). Japanese-built, so the EU–Japan 0% duty rate applies with a Statement on Origin.
Insurance
A Japan-only model, so some insurers rate it as unfamiliar or decline it over parts availability while others quote normally. Allianz, AXA (AA), FBD, 123.ie and SuperValu Insurance have all quoted Japanese imports in 2026 reports. Check for a factory immobiliser and get a quote before you commit.
Generations
- HE12 (November 2016 to 2020): the first e-Power Note, on the E12 body. The plain E12 chassis prefix is the ordinary 1.2 petrol car, not the hybrid; check the prefix before you bid.
- E13 and SNE13 (2020 on): second-generation e-Power only, with the four-wheel-drive SNE13 variant. Dearer, and Irish values follow.
Before you bid
- Confirm it is an e-Power (HE12, E13 or SNE13 chassis prefix); an E12 is the petrol Note and prices very differently.
- The e-Power drive battery is small and works hard; ask for battery health data and check the 12-volt battery, a common cause of no-start complaints.
- One-pedal driving in e-Power mode surprises first-time drivers; it is a feature, not a fault.
- Japanese tyres often lack the E-mark the NCT requires: budget €300–600 for a set.
- The radio needs a band expander for Irish FM (Japan uses 76–90 MHz) and the navigation unit is in Japanese; most buyers fit an aftermarket head unit.
- Cars from snowy prefectures can carry underbody corrosion from road salt; ask for underside photos or an inspection before bidding.
- Book the NCTS appointment within 7 days of arrival and register within 30, or penalties apply.
Where the numbers come from
- DoneDeal carried roughly 390 Nissan Note ads at the time of the research brief (September 2026), in the same league as the Aqua.
- Cartell’s 2025 import data put petrol at 65% of Japan imports and hybrids at 6,704 units for January to September; the Note e-Power is one of the volume hybrids.
- We have not yet captured audited auction prices for the Note e-Power. The scenarios use assumed prices; replace them with a real listing in the calculator.
Questions people ask
Is a Note e-Power duty-free to import?
Yes, with a Statement on Origin from the exporter: the Note is Japanese-built, so the EU–Japan 0% rate applies. Without the statement, 10% duty is charged on the customs value.
What VRT band is a Note e-Power?
It depends on the CO2 figure a disclosure request certifies, because there are no EU figures for the model. The worked scenarios show the band and the landed cost at 80, 95 and 110 g/km.
Is it a hybrid or an electric car for tax purposes?
A hybrid. It has a petrol engine and no plug, so it is banded on its CO2 figure like any other hybrid. The electric-only driving feel does not change the tax treatment.
Can I insure a Japanese-import Note e-Power in Ireland?
Usually, but shop around: some insurers decline unfamiliar Japan-only models. Disclose that it is an import, confirm the immobiliser, and get a quote before you buy.
How long does the import take?
Typically 8 to 14 weeks from auction to Irish plates: a week or two in Japan for deregistration and export paperwork, four to six at sea, then customs clearance, the NCTS appointment and registration.
Price a real Note e-Power
Put a real auction listing into the calculator: hammer price, mileage and the CO2 figure if you have it. You get every cost line and a range, and you can send it to us for sourcing from there.
Other models
Rules version 2026-09-17. Estimates only; VRT is assessed by Revenue at registration. Page computed at build time; the calculator uses the exchange rate of the day.