Tell me when will you debut...
Japanese carmaker Nissan is clearly excited about its new Leaf, the electric vehicle that it says kickstarted the whole EV movement. If you look at the numbers, their claims aren’t unfounded, with the electric family hatch proudly wearing the title of the first mass-market EV. With an improved battery pack and greater range touted, the next-generation Nissan Leaf is expected to take on global markets far more aggressively than it has in the past.
The incoming Leaf EV has been teased previously, and at the very least promises a pretty set of headlights with very intricate details, as well as a significantly-improved interior that will err on the side of premium. More importantly, the new electric car will pack a significantly improved battery pack that will offer a far greater electric range of around 300km-400km on a single charge, rather than the current-generation’s 135km-172km range.
The new Leaf promises to cut through the air better than the previous generation, and sports “an improved aerodynamic design that makes it even more efficient, allowing drivers to travel farther on a single charge.” The carmaker went on to say in its release:
“Aerodynamics is key to how efficiently an electric car moves. Less drag and better stability enable the vehicle to drive longer distances before having to recharge.” – Nissan
Today’s teaser focuses on the rear end of the car, showing off taillights we haven’t seen before. The accompanying press release promises something “simply amazing,” but maybe the novelty has worn off after having seen this car undisguised multiple times. This official shot at least confirms to us that the Leaf will ditch the vertical design adopted by the current model, and going with a more streamlined design approach that we were first treated to with the more conventionally-powered Micra hatchback.
The range-topping car is expected to utilise a 60kWh lithium-ion battery, effectively giving it a range that throws a 140km-long shade on that other Renault-Nissan Alliance EV, the Renault Zoe. The Leaf will also outdo its immediate rivals by offering ProPilot semi-autonomous driving capabilities, able to keep the car humming along in a single-lane on the motorway. The Leaf will also come with ‘e-Pedal,’ which is essentially a system that capitalises on brake-regeneration technology that will allow the Leaf to be driven most of the time with just one pedal.
“The ultimate embodiment of Nissan Intelligent Mobility, the new Nissan Leaf will be the most advanced, accessible EV on the market, today. Adding ground-breaking ProPILOT technology to the new Nissan Leaf will prove invaluable in unlocking many of the benefits of electric vehicles, creating less congested, cleaner cities for future generations.” — Gareth Dunmore, Director for Electric Vehicles, Nissan Europe
Nissan Australia has already confirmed that the Nissan Leaf will be offered in our market, though specification (long-range battery pack a given, we think) and pricing remains undefined for now. The Nissan Leaf will be making its official debut on September 6th in Japan, so stay tuned to CarShowroom as we bring you more updates as we have it.
