Nissan’s EV gem is succeeded.
“Reinvented” is how Nissan sees its new 2018 Leaf electric car, bringing its immensely-popular mass-market family hatch into a second generation with a whole bunch of new tech and refined mechanicals. Being a part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance meant that the Japanese carmaker had access to data and technology across the entirety of the automotive conglomerate, leveraging on its position as the biggest EV manufacturer in the world.
The new design language, first seen on the latest Micra hatchback, is paired with advanced technologies that serve to underline Nissan’s technological lead over the rest of the pack with regards to electric mobility. The sleek, lowered stance gives it a dynamic appearance, and helps the car to achieve a remarkably low aerodynamic coefficient. The fascia is dominated by the a large “V-Motion Flow” (since a grille isn’t required), and is flanked by LED headlights in a boomerang shape that emphasise that plunging design element. In place of traditional slats, the V-Motion flow is finished with a flash-surface treatment in blue, serving to mark out this hatch as an electric car.
“The new Nissan Leaf drives Nissan Intelligent Mobility, which is the core brand strategy for Nissan’s future. With its improved autonomy range, combined with the evolution of autonomous drive technology strengthens Nissan’s EV leadership, as well as the expansion of EVs globally. The Leaf has core strengths, that will be embodied by future Nissan models.” — Hiroto Saikawa, CEO, Nissan Motor Company
Under the… uh, skin, lies an electric motor hooked up to 40kWh worth of batteries, capable of providing 110kW and 320Nm, along with a driving range of up to 400km on a single charge (according to Japanese testing standards). No 0-100km/h times were released (you weren’t expecting them to, were you?), but we’re certain that with the power figures on offer, the giggle-factor that comes with electric drivetrains will be present and correct.
The interior design has seen similar revisions as the exterior, and features a more aesthetically-thoughtful and upmarket feel. Nissan calls the dash a “gliding wing,” protruding into passenger space and placing key controls in reach. The central 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display has been tooled to highlight key features like ‘Safety Shield’ power gauge, as well as satellite navigation information. Smartphone mirroring is also available here, though limited to Apple CarPlay.
“Relaxed with cool technology” is what Nissan was after, and design-wise, the cabin certainly conveys a sense of modern luxury. The second half of that statement is serviced by the key advanced driver assistance systems that the Leaf will come bundled with, which begins with a thing called ‘ProPilot.’
ProPilot is actually a suite of advanced driver assistance (ADAS) systems that are designed to ease the burden on drivers, allowing for longer journeys with less stress. It starts with e-Pedal which transforms the way you drive, allowing you to speed-up and slow-down with just one pedal. Regenerative braking is something we’re familiar with, but e-Pedal is expected to bring this to a new level, with lifting off the accelerator pedal able to bring the car to a complete stop, even on slopes.
The ProPilot ADAS system also introduces semi-autonomous driving capability to the Leaf for the first time. ProPilot is designed to keep the car in lane and at a safe distance from the vehicle in front of it, like a mixture of intelligent cruise control and lane-keep assistance, effectively reducing the the cognitive load on drivers over longer journeys. Additionally, ProPilot in the leaf also comes with ProPilot Park, which takes over all controls to guide the Leaf seamlessly into a parking space.
The “simply amazing” 2018 Leaf will go on sale on October 2nd in Japan, with North American and European deliveries expected in January 2018. The Nissan Leaf has been previously confirmed as an incoming model for our market, and we expect to see the intelligent family EV on Australian tarmac in Q1 next year.
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