Nissan has rolled out a new variant of the Leaf EV. This new car, the Leaf e+ delivers
a longer range from a 62 kilowatt-hour battery and more performance from a 160-kilowatt motor.
We're here in chilly Daylesford to prove that this is not just a car for the suburbs.
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Nissan claims that the Leaf e+ is 5 millimetres higher than the standard car.
The larger 62 kilowatt-hour battery has been shoe-horned into the same space as the smaller
unit in the standard car, according to the manufacturer, but the technical changes don't
end there. Motor output has been raised by 50 kilowatts and 20 Newton-metres,
improving the zero to 100 time for the Leaf e+ by a full second.
Very little has changed from the standard range Leaf for the e+ variant.
The Leaf e+ continues to provide the same practical driving position although the drive
selector looks odd, but the controls are otherwise easy to use and the instruments don't require a
Master's to comprehend. That's a definite B-plus for the Leaf e+. Just like the standard Leaf, the
Leaf e+ is configured with stadium seating, which the kids will appreciate, but they will miss the
adjustable vents which are here, and also whoever sits in this seat will have to be a little tiger.
The seats are softly cushioned and a small child could sit comfortably in the center seat position,
but a booster seat will diminish the available space for children, flanking the youngest in the
family. Electric vehicles are not known for having large boots, but in the case of the Nissan Leaf e+
the boot is quite deep and practical. The parcel shelf can be easily removed,
and the seats fall down in a 60-40 split ratio. So that's the packaging, which is
not the big story with this car. The question everyone wants answered is, "How does it drive?"
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Electric vehicles are very flexible in their power delivery, and the Leaf e+ builds on that with its
higher level of output. Nissan has cut the 0 to 100 acceleration time to just 6.9 seconds,
and the manufacturer claims that the overtaking time for 80 to 120 kilometres per hour has also
been reduced. With the added power and torque, the Nissan Leaf e+ certainly pulls strongly
when the driver demands more performance. And just lifting off the accelerator will bring the Leaf e+
plus to a halt and smoother than before according to Nissan, but there's a brake pedal present also
in case of emergency. The e pedal does take some mental adjustment for the first-time driver,
but once it becomes second nature, it does make driving the car fractional easier. On the road,
the Leaf e+ is very quiet and comfortable. It's not as dynamic as some of its rivals
in the market, but most buyers won't be fussed about mid corner speeds or neutral handling, just
as long as the ride quality is up to scratch and the active safety systems work to specification.
And that's the case with the Leaf e+. It's not the sort of car you drive for the joy of it,
but it is very easy to drive and comfortable with it.
The Nissan Leaf is better known in the Australian market than some of its rival EVs,
but intense opposition from Hyundai and Kia will make the retail environment harder for the Leaf.
So the Leaf e+ is the car that Nissan had to bring here just to remain competitive.
Does the Nissan Leaf e+ succeed? For the moment, yes, but ask again
in about 12 months time after some of those competitors have arrived in the local market.