Fifteen years have passed since the first generation of the Nissan LEAF was launched, with cumulative global sales exceeding 700,000 units and total mileage reaching 28 billion km. Its third generation has made its world premiere. It will be produced at the Tochigi and UK plants, and will be released in North America this fall, followed by sequential releases in each region.
The new LEAF, with up to 235/45R19 tires and wheels, was decided to change course early on and was developed with the assumption that it would turn into a crossover SUV. Mated to the same CMF-EV platform as the Ariya, the body has a coupe-like shape with a boldly slanted back window.
The aim is to improve aerodynamic characteristics to increase cruising range, and the Cd value is 0.26 (0.25 for the European version, which uses EU exclusive tires and door mirrors).
Specific measures include the adoption of Nissan’s first retractable door handles and the flattening of the underfloor to the extent that jack-up points are covered.
The overall length is designed to be 4360 mm, 120 mm shorter than the current model (4405 mm for the North American version; 4350 mm for the European version in response to local requests for the length to be less than 4400 mm). Another good news is that even with the crossover design, the overall height is kept at 1550 mm, which allows the car to be stored in a multi-story parking garage.
The powertrain uses a newly developed 3-in-1 unit that integrates the motor, inverter, and reduction gear, making it 10% smaller than its predecessor. Two types are available: a 130kW/345Nm motor with a 52kWh battery capacity, and a 160kW/355Nm motor with a 75kWh battery capacity, the latter of which will have a range of over 600km. The North American version will also be compatible with Tesla’s Supercharger by adopting the NACS connector.
To increase efficiency, much effort has also been put into thermal management, with the battery being cooled by a radiator instead of an air-conditioning unit. When a destination is set in the navigation system, the battery temperature is adjusted in advance to ensure high charging efficiency at the destination or transit point.
Like the Ariya, the air conditioning unit is located in the front motor-room and the front seats have ample legroom. The shift selector has evolved to the same button type as in the Serena, and the center console has been downsized to appeal to a wider left-right orientation.
The photo shows the white interior with an impressive blue violet accent color. Gray and black interiors are also available.
The shadeless, dimmable panoramic roof has an infrared reflective coating to prevent the glass from heating up and feeling radiant heat. The shadeless roof provides 20 mm more headroom than the non-shade-less version. Dimming can be done separately for the front and rear, and the LEAF logo casts a shadow.
In addition, a Google built-in Connect navigation system and BOSE audio system including front-seat headrest speakers are available.
Distance Control, which applies ProPilot 2.0 to support driving in the city, is another new Nissan technology not to be missed. When the system is activated by the steering wheel switch, the car automatically stops while adjusting the distance from the car in front after the accelerator pedal is turned off. The system is promoted as a device that helps reduce the burden on the driver.
