Overview
Nissan Motor Corporation, a leading player in the global automotive sector is headquartered in Japan. The company is well known for leading automotive brands, to include, Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun. In 1999, Nissan became part of the global Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance. The partnership makes these companies the 3rd largest automotive group in the world after Volkswagen and Toyota.
Electric Cars: The Basics
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
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The All-Electric Nissan Leaf Hatchback
The Nissan Leaf, is one of the best-selling electric cars globally, with nearly 600,000 sold to date. The BEV was first introduced in 2010 in Japan & the United States. It was introduced in the UK in 2011. The electric Leaf is now sold in over 59 markets across the globe.
In fact, in celebration of the inaugural World EV Day (September 9th 2020), Nissan marked the production of the 500,000th Leaf. Europe remains the largest market for the plug-in electric Leaf, followed by the United States and Japan.
It has the unique distinction of being the first mass-market electric car in the world. Since its launch, the ubiquitous EV has won numerous prestigious awards, to include, the 2018 World Green Car at the New York International Auto Show for the second generation Leaf. The first generation Nissan Leaf won the 2011 World Car of the Year. In 2019, the Nissan Leaf was awarded the ‘Car of the Year’ in the Stuff Gadget Awards.
Most of us in the UK would have come across the pure electric Nissan Leaf, popular with both, families and company-car drivers. The latest generation of the Leaf has much to offer. The EV is available in two EV battery sizes: 39 kWh and 59 kWh (usable capacity).
The choice of two EV battery sizes increases the potential customer base, as not every EV driver needs a large onboard EV battery and long electric range. Both battery sizes offer a useful and practical pure electric range. The 39 kWh has a zero-emission electric range up to 168 miles (WLTP), while the 59 kWh offers a range up to 239 miles (WLTP).
Even adjusting for real-world driving conditions, both options remain useful! For the 39 kWh expect a real-world emission-free e-range closer to 140 miles, while for the larger battery, 200 miles will be more realistic. More than adequate for city and motorway driving.
The Nissan EV incorporates a single-phase (6.6 KW AC) onboard charger. More than adequate for EV home charging in the UK, given that the majority of homes have single-phase power supply. The 39 kWh EV can be fully charged in 7 hours and 30 minutes using a dedicated residential EV charger like easee.
The 59 kWh can be full charged in 11 hours. Though the Nissan electric car can be charged via a domestic 3-PIN socket, we at e-zoomed discourage the use of a domestic socket to charge an electric car. It will take 21 hours to charge the 39 kWh battery and 31 hours to charge the 59 kWh battery.
We at e-zoomed recommend charging overnight when the electricity prices are lower. We also recommend charging on a regular basis. This way charging times are reduced and regular charging is good for the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery. Nissan offers a 8 years/ 100,000 miles warranty for the EV battery.
The Nissan Leaf electric hatchback also offers DC charging capability. However, DC charging is limited to 50 kW, which is certainly not class-leading. Most of the more recent EV introductions offer DC charging capability at 100 kW DC and faster. Nevertheless, the Nissan EV can be charged reasonably fast. For the 39 kWh EV battery it will take up to 60 minutes to charge from 20% to 80%. For the 59 kWh it will take 90 minutes.
In terms of the exterior styling, though the Nissan Leaf has improved, it has retained a balanced mix between a traditional and futuristic design, enabling the EV to appeal to a wider consumer base. The EV has a host of safety features and technology to offer, depending on the trim chosen. Some of these include: ProPILOT, ProPILOT park, intelligent cruise control, intelligent lane intervention, blind spot intervention, lane departure warning, 8″ display screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, 7″ TFT screen combimeter and more. In terms of practicality, the EV offers 435 L boot space.
In terms of performance, the front-wheel drive Nissan Leaf (39kWh) achieves 0-62 mph in 7.9 seconds (max power: 150 PS/ torque: 320 Nm). The 59 kWh variant is faster and achieves 0-62 mph in 6.9 seconds (max power: 217 PS/ torque: 340 Nm).
The 59 kW has a 98 mph top speed compared to 90 mph for the 39 kWh variant. The EV offers one-pedal driving (to include regenerative braking). Of course, the electric car also benefits from instant torque.
Company-car drivers can take advantage of the lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK-2%) tax charge for pure electric cars. You can lease the Nissan Leaf electric car via e-zoomed at fantastic prices. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet.
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
A good all-rounder and affordable electric car | DC charging limited to 50 kW |
Two EV battery size options | Onboard charger limited to 6.6 kW AC |
Decent electric range | Headroom for rear seats limited |
The All-Electric Nissan Leaf Hatchback (credit: Nissan)
At A Glance | |
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EV Type: | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) |
Body Type: | Hatchback |
Plug-In Car Grant (PiCG): | Not Available |
Available In UK: | Yes |
Variants (5 Options) |
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Nissan Leaf Acenta (from £28,995) |
Nissan Leaf N-Connecta (from £30,495) |
Nissan Leaf Tekna (from £31,995) |
Nissan Leaf e+ N-Connecta (from £34,945) |
Nissan Leaf e+ Tekna (from £36,445) |
EV Battery & Emissions | |
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EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
EV Battery Capacity: | Available in two battery sizes: 39 kWh/ 59 kWh (Usable Battery) |
Charging: | 50 kW DC Rapid Charging. Onboard charger: 6.6 kW AC |
Charge Port: | Type 2 |
EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
Tailpipe Emissions: | 0g (CO2/km) |
EV Battery Warranty: | 8 years/ 100,000 miles |
Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
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Battery net capacity : 16.7 kWh | £2.40 |
Battery net capacity : 30.0 kWh | £4.32 |
Battery net capacity : 39.2 kWh | £5.64 |
Battery net capacity : 45.0 kWh | £6.48 |
Battery net capacity : 50.0 kWh | £7.20 |
Battery net capacity : 64.0 kWh | £9.22 |
Battery net capacity : 71.0 kWh | £10.22 |
Battery net capacity : 77.0 kWh | £11.09 |
Battery net capacity : 90.0 kWh | £12.96 |
Battery net capacity : 100.0 kWh | £14.40 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in the UK varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for the UK is 14.40 p/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
Charging Times (Overview) | |
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Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+): | 0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW): | 0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
Dimensions | |
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Height (mm): | 1540 |
Width (mm): | 1788 |
Length (mm): | 4490 |
Wheelbase (mm): | 2700 |
Turning Circle (m): | 10.8 |
Boot Space (L): | 435 |
Leaf 39 kWh | |
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EV Battery Capacity: | 39 kWh |
Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 168 miles |
Electric Consumption (Wh/km): | 171 |
Charging: | 50 kW DC Rapid Charging (20% to 80%: 60 mins). Onboard charger: 6.6 kW AC (0%-100%: 7 hrs 30 mins) |
Top Speed: | 90 mph |
0-62 mph: | 7.9 seconds |
Drive: | Front-wheel drive (FWD) |
Electric Motor (kW): | 110 |
Max Power (PS): | 150 |
Torque (Nm): | 320 |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Seats: | 5 |
Doors: | 5 |
Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,518 – 1,594 |
Colours: | 10 |
NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
Leaf 59 kWh | |
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EV Battery Capacity: | 59 kWh |
Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 239 miles |
Electric Consumption (Wh/km): | 185 |
Charging: | 50 kW DC Rapid Charging (20% to 80%: 90 mins). Onboard charger: 6.6 kW AC (0%-100%: 11 hrs) |
Top Speed: | 98 mph |
0-62 mph: | 6.9 seconds |
Drive: | Front-wheel drive (FWD) |
Electric Motor (kW): | 160 |
Max Power (PS): | 217 |
Torque (Nm): | 340 |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Seats: | 5 |
Doors: | 5 |
Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,700 – 1,736 |
Colours: | 10 |
NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
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