Today Nissan revealed the new Nissan Leaf and we are very excited! With a longer range, new styling and packed full of technology, we believe the new model will crack the combustion engine market even further.
It’s been a busy time for EV launches with Tesla releasing the Model 3 and Renault with an improved ZOE, alongside other manufacturers launching or teasing there EV attempts, it seemed Nissan were falling behind, even though they remained market leader for EV’s.
So can the new Leaf hold off the current crop of competition and remain the most loved EV? Let’s have a look and find out.
Specification
Powered by a Li-on 40kWh battery, the range has increase to 378km/235miles (NEDC). Charging times of 16 hours(3kW) & 8 hours(6kW) and 40 minutes to 80% with a top speed of 90mph. If this isn’t even to tempt you Nissan are planning on launching an even more powerful battery version, with a longer range at the end of 2018!
New intelligent driving technologies
The new Nissan LEAF features three main new intelligent driving technologies. The first is ProPILOT advanced driver assistance system. Used during single-lane driving on the highway, it makes the drive easier, less stressful and more relaxing.
The second, ProPILOT Park, will change the way people think about parking. When activated, this technology will take control of all steering, acceleration, braking and gear selection to automatically guide the car into a parking spot. It makes parking stress free and more precise for all drivers.
The third, e-Pedal, is a revolutionary technology that transforms the way we drive. It allows drivers to start, accelerate, decelerate and stop simply by adjusting their input upon the accelerator pedal. When the accelerator is fully released, regenerative and friction brakes are applied automatically, gradually bringing the car to a complete stop. The car holds its position, even on steep uphill slopes, until the accelerator is pressed again. The reactiveness of e-Pedal enables drivers to maximize their driving pleasure when the road opens up.
The conventional brake pedal must still be used in aggressive braking situations.
We like the sound of these new features, Tesla really made noise about the autopilot feature and to get similar technology in a Nissan Leaf is a huge plus!
Nissan Intelligent Integration: linking battery power to social infrastructure
Nissan’s pioneering vision of the potential of electric vehicles doesn’t stop at powering the new Nissan LEAF. The car’s batteries can also be used as mobile energy devices.
Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology combines two-way charging allowing electric vehicles to be fully integrated into the electricity grid. It helps improve the capability to handle non-programmable renewable energy flows, making renewable sources even more widely integrated and affordable. The system works by allowing Nissan EV owners to connect to the grid to play an active role in grid services, while providing the opportunity for an alternate source of income. Once scaled up, the V2G technology will be a game-changer for owners of Nissan electric vehicles as they become active participants in the energy market.
Working towards a more sustainable society means making better choices every day. xStorage, energy storage system, draws on the collective experience of the industry’s best to make home energy consumption more efficient and more sustainable. xStorage Home stores energy at the most economical times of the day while controlling how and when that energy is put to use, saving customers money and improving the entire energy system. It seamlessly integrates all the hardware and software needed to manage and store all of the energy the home needs in a single unit. Used to provide Grid services, xStorage Home could charge from the grid or discharge to the grid in order to generate the flexibility needed to further increase the usage of renewable energy.
Customers will also benefit from a newly designed interface on the new Nissan LEAF smartphone app which allows them to monitor their vehicle’s state of charge, finding the nearest charging station and pre-heating or cooling the car to the ideal temperature before driving.
When we attended the Nissan Futures event the xStorage certainly got us interested, especially with the huge money saving potentials!
Has the Leaf finally got sex appeal?
Now we may get lynched by the Leaf mob, but the current Leaf appearance never got us excited. We understood the need to stand out from the crowd with a quirky design, but it never quite appealed. We can’t say the same for the new design. The more conventional shape with the small futuristic detailing has given the Leaf a new lease of life and we firmly believe it will become more attractive to potential buyers. The V-motion grille, which shares it DNA with other Nissan favourites, such as the Nissan X-Trail and the Nissan Qashqai, helps create a stylish front end. The style carries through to the rest of the body work with a floating roof and sleek LED headlamps with Nissan’s characteristic boomerang design.
Inside, again, doesn’t disappoint, with a luxury look and the added bonus of Apple Carplay and Android Auto help cement this improved design.
Nissan anticipate will see them in the show room in January 2018 and unlike Tesla will be able to roll them out to the masses quickly!
So what do you think? Will you be ordering one? Let us know!
