Nissan launched the new all-electric Leaf in Europe
at a special event in Norway, which now enters its second generation with a
fresh design and plenty of new technologies, including Nissan’s ProPilot
semi-autonomous system.
However, the key spec of the new Leaf is the driving
range, with Nissan estimating that it’ll travel 378 km on a single
charge and according to the NEDC standards, 80 miles more than the outgoing
30kWh model. The Li-ion battery pack is also new and measures 40kWh in capacity.
Power is provided by a 150 PS electric motor that makes the new Leaf
capable of a 0-100 km/h in 8.2 seconds, 3.2 seconds faster than its predecessor.
Nissan’s latest EV can be charged from empty to 80
percent in 40 minutes when using a 50kW fast charger, with the time dropping to
5.5 hours for a complete recharge if plugged into a 7.5kW supply and 16 hours
when plugged to a domestic 3kW supply.
Thanks to the ProPilot assistance system, the new
Nissan Leaf can steer, brake and accelerate by itself within a single lane in
low speed traffic and highway cruising scenarios while the ProPilot Park
function allows it to fully autonomously park itself.
There’s also the e-Pedal technology, where the
throttle pedal isn’t just connected to an energy regeneration system but also
enables the brakes when released, bringing the car to a full stop while
harvesting energy to recharge the battery.
The new Nissan Leaf is available for order now, with
the company offering a special 2.Zero Launch Edition for the price of £ 26,490
including Government Grant in the UK. The first cars are expected to be
delivered to European customers in early 2018.
