When you’ve built the most popular model of anything in any category and it’s time to follow it up with a new one that is the next model to carry the name, this new item must be absolutely amazing. That’s exactly what Nissan faced as they saw the end of the first generation of the Leaf and had the challenge of building a new model for us to enjoy on the road. As the most popular EV model to make its way on the roads we drive, the 2018 version of the Nissan Leaf is everything we need it to be.
One of the greatest challenges that face any automaker of EV models is bringing the range we want from the battery pack. Even though new EV models have entered the market from Chevrolet and Tesla, the Nissan Leaf is a trusted name and shows up with a range that works for your daily drive while coming in at a price that’s considerably less than either of the other two models that are new to the market. This gives the Leaf the edge you need and desire when it’s the car you’ll drive every day in the city you live and work.
Under the hood of this new Nissan Leaf is a single electric motor and a 40-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. This gives the new Leaf an output of 147 horsepower and 236 lb.-ft. of torque while offering you a range of 150 miles. The price to have this range is low enough that you would have to buy one of the other models and apply the entire Federal Tax Credit to the price before you’d be in the same range as the Leaf, making this new Nissan model the most affordable long range EV you can buy.
Take it for a Drive
When you think of an EV model for the drive you might know you should expect excellent acceleration, but with the low power offered you might not feel like the Leaf can get to the speeds you want to drive. Nothing would be farther from the truth; this impressive little car feels great, handles speeds with ease and feels a lot like any other car on the road. The drive in town is quicker than most other cars, which makes this a car that feels better than others when you drive.
Another benefit to the Leaf is the fact that you can employ regenerative braking easier than in the past with the use of the new e-Pedal technology. Once you engage this feature using the button on the center console, every time you lift your foot off the accelerator, the car will slow down and return this energy back to the battery to help you have a longer drive and extend the range you can go during your day. This can be especially useful in the city with the stop and go traffic and is something you can turn off when you head out on the highway.
When you choose a trim level above the base model of the new Nissan Leaf, you’ll have the benefit of the ProPilot Assist feature which is a Level 2 semi-autonomous driving technology that brings you the sensors and system to help you stay where you need to during your ride. This system makes use of adaptive cruise control and other driver’s assistance features to make sure you can have the ride you want when you’re out on the road. This is a fairly intuitive system that sets the Leaf apart from other EV models on the market.
The Value for Your Drive
If you’ve been looking for the next model of the Nissan Leaf to make its way to the market for the driving experience you want to have, it’s here. This is a value player in the EV market and brings you advanced safety features to make this a car that will be an excellent choice. Nissan has given this car a comfortable cabin and an excellent look to make it look less like it has in the past and more like many of the other cars in the Nissan lineup. This is certainly a car that’s worth a look when you’re at your nearby Nissan dealer.
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