When you designed the best-selling electric car in the world, going through a redesign can be risky. Nissan not only accepted this challenge, but exceeded the lofty bar they set with the all-new 2018 Nissan Leaf.

 

 

On a cold, late December morning, LeithCars.com’s Zero to 60 podcast went in search of the first new Nissan Leaf to arrive in the Triangle. We found Nissan’s second-generation Leaf at Leith Nissan in Cary where Derek Parker, Leith Nissan Sales Associate, was more than eager to talk about Nissan’s successor to its pioneering first-generation EV.

 

 

The car we saw was a factory pre-production model, so while we weren’t allowed to drive it yet, we did get a chance to learn about many of this new car’s stand-out features and capabilities. Derek was one of a select few Nissan product specialists invited to our nation’s capital a few months back to completely immerse themselves in this new Nissan Leaf. Yes, he got to drive it, too.

As Derek relayed to Zero to 60 podcast, the new Leaf before us in the showroom took several cues from current Leaf owners and brought them to production. One example is the placement of the charging port, found under a compartment in the nose of the car. While it’s in a similar location as on the original Leaf, the port is now angled upward for an easier connection. This improved positioning of the charging port allows Leaf owners to plug in without bending down and craning their neck to find the port. It’s a simple change, but an effective one, and your back will thank you for it.

 

 

What really drives this all-new 2018 Leaf far ahead of its predecessor, however, is the electric car trait that most Zero Emissions vehicle owners care about – range.  The outgoing 2017 Nissan Leaf has a maximum range of 107 miles in SV and SL trim on a single charge.

Since the average American puts less than 37 miles per day on their car, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration in 2011, a previous generation Leaf owner could plan on charging their car once every couple of days or so, depending on their driving habits.

As technology advances, so does the range of the new Nissan Leaf. The 2018 Leaf now offers even more single charge range, making it capable of traveling up to a maximum of 150 miles on that same single charge or up to three and a half days between charging (using the 37 miles per day average). This improvement is the result of a more powerful 40.0-kWh battery pack, compared to the previous Leaf’s 29.9 kWh pack. As before, of course, that mileage range estimate depends on your own driving habits, road conditions, temperature, and battery age.

Want even more mileage out of the all-new 2018 Nissan Leaf? There’s a larger 60.0 kWh battery pack on the horizon that will be introduced next year as a 2019 model called “Leaf e-Plus.”

 

 

So, we’ve told you the new 2018 Nissan Leaf will travel farther than before, but what’s it like to drive?  Are you ready to experience the thrill of 100% torque off the line? How does 147 horsepower and 236 pounds of torque sound to you? Nissan says the increase in power makes the new Leaf about 15% quicker zero-to-60 mph than the old Leaf, and we’re down with that!

Then there’s the ability for this new Leaf to actually aid you in your daily commute.

“Pedal fatigue” may become a thing of the past in stop-and-go traffic on I-40, the beltline, and outer loop as you simply use one pedal to accelerate and slow down. This amazing feature is called e-Pedal. Yes, the new Leaf has a separate brake pedal for sudden, emergency stops, but, otherwise, you can just press down or lift up gradually on the e-Pedal to control the speed of the car. It’s part of the magic you get with a well-engineered EV like the 2018 Nissan Leaf.

 

 

Our friend Derek at Leith Nissan also pointed out a new available feature that helps complete the suite of driver’s aids in the new Leaf. With Nissan “Pro Pilot” Assist, this car will allow you to follow the car ahead at a safe, preset distance. It will help keep you centered in your lane and even bring your Leaf to a complete stop based on the traffic flow, and hold you there. You still need to remain alert of course by always keeping “your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel,” if we may borrow a line from The Doors to make our point.

In fact, once you get to the “roadhouse,” or wherever your destination takes you, you’ll have some extra cash in your wallet too, because each trim level of the new Leaf starts at a lower MSRP than last year’s Nissan Leaf. More range, more power, and more technology for less? Absolutely.

 

 

This new Leaf really is the way to the future for all of us. The best part, though, is you don’t need to wait for that future to happen. It’s already parked in your neighbor’s driveway in the form of the last generation Leaf, and, no doubt, soon to be 2018 model.

To learn more about the exciting technology that is either standard or available in the all-new 2018 Nissan Leaf, make an appointment today with Leith Nissan at LeithNissan.com.

 

 

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