First Drive By Hugh Maguire.
This new Nissan Leaf is only the 3rd generation of the model. I remember well test driving the very first Leaf back in 2010. Back then Nissan were the true EV pioneers as they were the first to offer a mass market electric car. We all looked on in amusement as many wondered how this new technology might actually catch on. Now some 16 years later an EV is not something unusual. How times have changed, so too has EV technology. That first Leaf had a range of about 120km todays new model has an official WLTP claimed range of some 600km if you go for the larger battery option.
Since those early days Nissan has managed to shift some 700,000 Leaf models so they know a thing or two about electric cars.
So what were my first drive impressions? I had the opportunity to test the new Leaf on a variety of roads both motorway and rural at the official media launch in County Meath. First of all I can tell you that this new Leaf is a big step up from the previous model in more ways than one.
DESIGN:
The new external design is very appealing. Its less quirky than the previous model and has more of a coupe like profile. In some of the brighter colours in particular I think it looks well.
CABIN:
Slip inside and the new cabin is equally impressive. I particularly like the new digital dash display which shows the instruments as round analog style dials rather than the simplistic and rather bland displays of many rivals. Room in the cabin is good though like a lot of EV’s I could not slide my feet under the front seats when seated in the rear due the high floor…….a result of that space occupied by the battery. Boot space is up to a healthy 417 litres.
FIRST DRIVE IMPRESSIONS:
The new Leaf drives very smoothly the only thing I noticed on this initial launch drive was a degree of wind noise at motorway speeds created by the external door mirrors. The ride seems pretty good and from the drivers seat at least it felt comfortable.
CHARGING TECH CHANGE:
The biggest news that will benefit all owners is that Nissan have abandoned the CHAdeMO rapid charging standard used by its predecessors, switching to the much more widely adopted CCS system for fast charging in Europe. I think this will make the new Leaf a much more appealing prospect as the previous system was far less available on the public charging network. So much so that I believe it held back the car in terms of sales.
GRADES & SPECS:
The all-new Nissan LEAF has two battery options. The 52kWh battery offers up to 424 kilometres range, while the 75kWh battery offers a top range of up to 622 kilometres. Both variants support DC fast-charging up to 105kW and 150kW respectively and are available in three grades. I was not able to verify these range claims on the launch drive but will be doing so shortly when I road test the Leaf extensively.
The 52kWh model starts at €36,095 for the Engage grade, at €37,095 for the Engage + grade, at €40,295 for the Advance grade, and at €41,795 for the top-of-the-range Evolve grade.
The 75kWh battery option, meanwhile, starts at €39,995 for the Engage grade, at €41,495 for the Engage + grade, at €49,295 for the Advance grade, and at €51,795 for the Evolve grade. All pricing is inclusive of applicable VRT Relief. The €3,500 SEAI grant is included where applicable; pricing for the 75kWh Advance and Evolve excludes the SEAI grant.
NICE TO KNOW:
I noticed some cool new features on the Leaf worth mentioning. It now has vehicle to load (V2L) functionality. Simply put that means you can plug in a variety of small devices such as a kettle or electric grill and power them from the car. Handy if you in to camping I guess. Also this new Leaf uses Google built in for maps, route or charging planning something I find very useful. Finally another small but cool feature is the electrochromatic pano glass roof in the top of the range model. It even projects the word “Leaf” onto the seat when partially closed/open.
Initial impressions then are that Nissan has used all of their extensive EV know-how to produce a car that delivers on the many requirements of todays EV customer.
My full deep dive road test and verdict follows in the coming weeks.