Nissan broadens EV appeal

Yokohama--Nissan  has   unveiled the Nissan LEAF e+, further broadening the appeal of the world’s best-selling electric car by offering a new powertrain with additional power and range.

The “e+” refers to the increased energy density of the model’s battery pack and the higher output of its powertrain. The new powertrain adds to the car’s range by approximately 40%, ensuring that there’s a Nissan LEAF to meet the driving needs of a wider range of customers.

“The LEAF e+ is ‘more’ LEAF, offering customers more choice in terms of power and range,” said Daniele Schillaci, executive vice president of Nissan. “By offering customers a choice of powertrains to suit their needs, the award-winning Nissan LEAF is now more convenient and appealing than ever.”

More than 380,000 Nissan LEAF vehicles have been sold globally since the 100% electric model first went on sale in 2010. Equipped with advanced technologies including the ProPILOT*2 semi-autonomous driving system and e-Pedal mode for one-pedal driving, the Nissan LEAF embodies Nissan Intelligent Mobility, the company’s vision for changing how cars are powered, driven and integrated into society.

Having pioneered mass-market electric cars with the Nissan LEAF, Nissan says it is continuing to promote alternative vehicle transportation. The Nissan LEAF plays a vital role in Nissan’s efforts to integrate electric vehicles and energy systems into customers’ lives – creating an “EV ecosystem.” Among these efforts is Nissan Energy, the company’s initiative for its electric vehicles to easily connect with energy systems to charge their batteries, power homes and businesses, or feed energy back to power grids, as well as new efforts to reuse batteries. 

The Nissan LEAF e+ is scheduled to join the Nissan LEAF at Nissan dealerships in Japan in late January 2019. U.S. sales are expected to begin in the spring of 2019, and European sales will commence in mid-2019.

The Nissan LEAF e+ represents a step forward in each of the three key areas of Nissan Intelligent Mobility: Intelligent Power, Intelligent Driving and Intelligent Integration.

Increased range  

The Nissan LEAF e+ features a new version of the Nissan LEAF’s revolutionary electric powertrain, delivering excellent energy efficiency and robust torque and power output. While the Nissan LEAF meets the needs of many customers with its driving range of up to 322 km (estimated WLTC Japan cycle)*4, near-silent operation and smooth and responsive acceleration, the Nissan LEAF e+ offers more than 40% additional range of up to 458 km (WLTC Japan cycle), allowing customers the ability to do more between charges.*5

The high-capacity battery and more powerful motor in the LEAF e+ combine to produce 160 kilowatts of power and 340 Nm of torque, enabling faster acceleration when driving at high speeds. Accelerating from 80 kph to 120 kph is nearly 13% quicker. This allows the LEAF e+ to confidently pass slower-moving vehicles, exit corners faster and more seamlessly and merge easily with fast-moving traffic. The top speed has increased by approximately 10% for comfortable cruising.

Thanks to an available new 70 kW (100 kW peak) Quick Charging system, the 2019 Nissan LEAF e+ can charge more efficiently than ever.*5 Based on early testing, Nissan LEAF e+ owners can expect similar charging times when hooked up to a 100 kW charger as current Nissan LEAF owners do with a 50 kW charger, despite a 55% larger battery storage capacity.

Even with a 25% increase in energy density and the increase in energy storage capacity, the Nissan LEAF e+ battery pack is almost the same size and configuration as the pack in the Nissan LEAF. Other than a 5-millimeter increase in overall height (16-inch wheels), the car’s exterior and interior dimensions are unchanged.

Because ownership satisfaction and peace of mind are pivotal for all Nissan LEAF owners, the battery limited warranty of 8 years/160,000 km (whichever occurs first) is standard for all versions.

Innnovative features

Playing a leading role in Nissan Intelligent Driving is ProPILOT, an in-lane semi-autonomous driving technology that can automatically adjust the distance to the vehicle ahead, using a speed preset by the driver (between about 30 kph and 100 kph). ProPILOT can also help the driver steer and keep the vehicle centered in its lane. If the car in front stops, ProPILOT can automatically apply the brakes to bring the vehicle to a full halt if necessary. After coming to a full stop, the vehicle can remain in place even if the driver’s foot is off the brake. If traffic restarts, the car will resume driving when the driver touches the steering wheel-mounted ProPILOT switch again or lightly presses the accelerator to activate the system. All these functions can reduce stress when driving on the highway in both heavy and fast-moving traffic. ProPILOT Park (available on Japan and EU models only) is a system that can provide vehicle acceleration, braking, handling, shift changing and parking brake operation to guide the car into a parking spot.

Further enhancing the Nissan LEAF’s driving experience is e-Pedal, which allows the driver to start, accelerate, decelerate and stop using only the accelerator pedal.*6 To match the Nissan LEAF e+’s additional power and increased mass, Nissan has reprogrammed the e-Pedal software for smoother operation and enhanced pedal feedback, especially for operation in reverse, and for smoother and more rapid deceleration, making it easier to stop the car using e-Pedal, even when backing up.

In addition to ProPILOT and e-Pedal, every Nissan LEAF is available with advanced safety technologies including Intelligent Lane Intervention, Lane Departure Warning, Intelligent Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Intelligent Around View Monitor with moving object detection.

including swiping, scrolling and tapping. Applications, maps and firmware are updated over the air with the simple touch of a button, instead of having to manually update by USB or at a Nissan dealership.*7

Other new features include Door-to-Door Navigation, which syncs the vehicle’s navigation system with a compatible smartphone for seamless driving and walking directions. The Connections feature allows any of the car’s passengers to quickly and easily connect to a device within the vehicle.*8

Integration goes beyond what’s in the vehicle and now includes Nissan Energy, making Nissan LEAF vehicles part of a larger electric-vehicle ecosystem.*3

Sleek, modern design

One of the most eye-catching exterior elements of the new Nissan LEAF is the car’s sleek, streamlined silhouette, which maximizes aerodynamic efficiency. The bold fascia features Nissan’s signature V-Motion grille with blue 3D mesh. The streamlined profile gives it a sporty look, while the rear features a distinctive tail light design.

The Nissan LEAF e+ carries over most of the Nissan LEAF’s design. Subtle clues to its e+ designation include a revised front fascia with blue highlights and an “e+” logo plate on the underside of the charge port lid.

Like the Nissan LEAF, the Nissan LEAF e+ boasts a spacious, highly functional interior with a quality, high-tech feel. The combination of premium materials throughout the cabin befits a luxury vehicle. Vibrant blue contrast stitching for the steering wheel, seats and door trim accentuate the car as a Nissan electric vehicle.

“The Nissan LEAF e+ takes Nissan Intelligent Mobility even further,” Schillaci said. “The Nissan LEAF continues to play a leading role in paving the way toward an efficient and sustainable mobile society – creating a ‘new normal.’ This ‘normal’ goes beyond vehicle ownership, providing additional benefits for the customer and the world.”