Almost Unrecognisable New Look For The 2nd Generation All Electric Nissan Leaf

In a bid to gain a more mass-market appeal Nissan has completely reinvented the 100% electric Leaf with a significant increase in its range from a single charge and a new, more modern style throughout.

• Since the Nissan Leaf was introduced in 2010 over 283,000 have been sold worldwide with more than 20,000 of them going to UK drivers. This makes the Nissan Leaf the most popular electric car of all-time.

  Going Further Than Ever Before

  Recent advances in technology have allowed Nissan to increase the power of the battery inside the new Nissan Leaf without taking up loads more space under the bonnet. The new Leaf will house a 40KW battery whereas the previous generation only featured a 30KW battery. An 80% fast charge will take 40 minutes with a full charge taking 8 hours from a 7KW charger.

  The all-new Nissan Leaf will go further than it has ever gone before with Nissan claiming it can achieve a 235-mile driving range on a single charge, although it is expected that in real-life driving conditions it will comfortably achieve at least 175 miles. This would represent an increase of up to 50% on the outgoing model. It is also expected to go from 0-62mph in around 9.8 seconds, which is rather impressive for an electric hatchback.

  Nissan has also announced that between 12 and 18 months after the new Leaf is launched there will be a new variation available that will have an even longer mile range and with more power. This is testament to how fast the new electric market is advancing.

  A Brand New Style Inside And Out

  Quite simply the style of the upcoming and outgoing Nissan Leaf couldn’t be more different. This is all part of Nissan’s push to make the electric car more appealing to a mainstream audience.

  At first glance, you might even mistake the new Nissan Leaf for the recently launched Micra with both sharing a chiselled new body shape that will appeal to the modern driver. This new design makes the car even more aerodynamic that helps increase the car’s mile range.

  In a bid to mirror other popular hatchbacks, like the Citroen C3, a two-tone roof option is also available on the new Nissan Leaf. A striking new Spring Light Green colour is exclusive to the Leaf range too.

  Changes don’t end on the outside either. The cockpit has also been heavily inspired by both the Qashqai and the Micra with a stylish dashboard that includes an all-new infotainment system. A 7-inch full-color touchscreen will house the new infotainment system and it is expected to include both sat-nav and Apple Car Play/Android Auto capabilities.

  Nissan Connect, which can be downloaded from both the IOS and Android app stores, pairs with the vehicle to check its vehicle status, help locate nearby charging stations, and can also heat up or cool down the car before users get in.

  Driving Innovations

  Intelligent autonomous driving goes to the next level with the ProPilot features in the new Nissan Leaf. According to Nissan, the Leaf will be able to drive in a single lane with the ability to accelerate and brake as needed. It should be able to do this in queuing traffic up to a speed of 62mph. They also hope to extend this to multi-lane and city driving by the end of the decade which will be perfect for motorway driving and the daily commute.

  Although ProPilot driving is already available in the Qashqai the all-new ProPilot Parking is making its debut in the Leaf. By using 12 sonar sensors and 4 HD cameras the Leaf will able to park itself in pretty much any space without the driver needing to do anything.

  The most impressive feature without a doubt is the brand new optional e-pedal. Drivers can just use one pedal to accelerate and if they remove their foot completely the vehicle will gently brake until it fully stops, unless you decide to reapply pressure to the pedal. Nissan claims that this means you can do up to 90% of driving using just one pedal. It will also automatically activate a hill-hold function.

  If you want to carry on with the more traditional form of driving with all three pedals then that’s possible too.

  Moving To The Mainstream

  “This car has to move EVs from early adopters into the mainstream and we’re doing that by making this a more emotional, more enjoyable car to drive,” says Hiroki Isobe, the Nissan Leaf’s Chief Vehicle Engineer.

  “We wanted to make the new Leaf more fun through the one-pedal driving and even quicker responses from the powertrain. I think this one-pedal operation is a kind of evolution – from manual to automatic to this.”

  It’s clear that the all-new Nissan Leaf has big shoes to fill as it replaces the world’s most popular electric vehicle ever sold. However, with a new modernised style, a superior driving range, and even better driving capabilities it is surely going to go from strength to strength.

  The next generation of Nissan Leaf cars is expected to arrive at Pentagon Nissan in Huddersfield and Barnsley at the beginning of 2018. Register your interest today for the chance to be one of the first to test-drive the new Nissan Leaf by calling 0330 390 6849 (local rate) or fill in a website enquiry form. Alternatively, check out the latest offers available on the current Nissan Leaf which are available from Pentagon Nissan today.

Some of the car's specification named above may be optional extras rather than standard.