The 2018 Nissan Leaf adds range, competition to growing market for battery-powered sedans.
The market for long-range electric sedans continues to expand, as Nissan Tuesday night introduced its new Leaf EV.
The upgraded 2018 Leaf offers electric vehicle customers another choice — along with the Tesla Model 3, Chevy Bolt and others — when shopping for a lower cost, battery-powered car with more than 100 miles of range.
The Leaf gets 150 miles on a single charge to its 40 kilowatt hour battery pack. It can drive and brake on one pedal, and delivers the powerful, quick-start torque of an EV. The new Leaf also has a suite of driver-assist features, including lane assist and emergency braking.
Major automakers are developing lower-cost, all-electric vehicles for a broader base of customers, expanding beyond early adopters and commuters. Despite new options for EV drivers, only about 1 percent of all U. S. car sales are zero emission vehicles.
José Muñoz, chairman of Nissan North America, said the Leaf redesign was based on customer feedback and more than 2 billion miles driven by Leafs since they were introduced in 2010.
The base model Leaf checks in with a sticker price of $29,990 before incentives. Higher-end models start at around $36,000 and include premium audio and additional safety features.
“That’s a lower price than the Leaf in market today and it includes more power, range and technology, all wrapped in a beautiful new exterior and interior design, ” Muñoz said. The company expects to offer more motor power and larger battery packs for the vehicles in 2019.
A fast charge can deliver 22 miles of range in an hour, while high-powered public charging stations can add up to 88 miles in a half-hour. It links to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Nissan is taking reservations and expects to deliver the car early next year. The new Leaf is scheduled to be on display Saturday, Sept. 16 at the National Drive Electric Week event at De Anza Community College in Cupertino.
The Japanese company has also backed a new network of free vehicle chargers in Northern California, stretching from Monterey to Lake Tahoe.
The Leaf is the best-selling EV in history, topping more than 280,000 owners, including 112,000 in the U. S. Early versions got about 70 miles on a single charge and appealed to commuters wanting a thrifty, green car.
The updated Leaf joins the growing ranks of electric vehicles with extended ranges, made possible by lower battery prices. The zero emission vehicles are also eligible for federal and state incentives.
Tesla delivered 30 Model 3s to hand-picked customers in July. The base version has an advertised range of 220 miles and starts at $35,000 before incentives. Tesla received about 455,000 reservations for the lower cost electric vehicle, and is boosting production at its Fremont factory to meet demand.
The Chevy Bolt, introduced in late 2016, has a 238-mile range and a starting price around $37,000. GM has sold about 11,700 of the zero-emission vehicles this year.
