Building on Success: Nissan Leaf EV

The first and most successful mass market EV is the Nissan Leaf. This is a car that many have admired and enjoyed for its EV functionality and the ability it shows to drive and offer zero emissions while being one of the most impressive city cars. In the first generation of the Leaf, the range wasn’t what you might expect now, but that didn’t matter as this car was able to be sold in 270,000 units around the world which makes it responsible for more than ten percent of the global EV market to date.

The second generation of the Nissan Leaf EV is preparing to make its debut and promises to have more of what we want in this car. Mostly what we’d be looking for is more range and more technology, which Nissan promises to deliver on while also bringing us more style and better looks than in the past. This car will make its debut at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show as a 2018 model and show us exactly what this car will be and how it can perform with numbers that we’ve never seen from the Leaf until now.

One of the most impressive improvements made will be in the driving system used. There will now be a ProPILOT Assist feature offered that will allow for semi-autonomous driving to be done on the highway. With this system you push a button and the car will control the steering, acceleration and braking to keep you in the right place in your lane at all times. Yes, this is a step toward full autonomy, but it’s still only a semi-autonomous system that will require you to stay alert and aware. Check out the video below to see the thought behind this system and how it may work for you.

Another aspect we can expect to see improved for the new Leaf is the range. When this car first arrived, range wasn’t much of an issue because it wasn’t expected to leave the city and there wasn’t any competition to say that it needed to be improved. Now we know the range we need to see on an EV is above 200 miles and the new Leaf is expected to offer between 210 and 220 miles of range from a full charge, giving us what we would typically need for a full day of driving.

The new Leaf will have an upgraded front end and ride with the influence of the IDS Concept vehicle. This car will retain its hatchback body style and be more attractive than it has been in the past. As the most successful EV model on the market, this car will now have to compete with the Chevrolet Bolt and the new Tesla Model 3, as strong competitors that certainly are looking to have their own share of the EV market. We’ll get a better look at what the new Nissan Leaf brings to the market when we get closer to the Tokyo Auto Show.

 

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