Nissan Leaf: Drive Longer
Nissan Leaf: Drive Longer

Video: Nissan Leaf: Drive Longer

Video: Nissan Leaf: Drive Longer
Video: Nissan Leaf 2018 - 432.1 mile (695km) trip in a day. Adjusting driving from test to date. 2024, March
Anonim

Nissan is launching a European version of the Leaf in June. The electric car is not only cheaper, but also drives up with a longer range.

With the Leaf introduced in 2010, the world's first compact class model with all-electric drive, Nissan wantedBringing electric mobility on a growth path. However, the Japanese have not yet succeeded in doing this properly, as the five-door model of the Opel Astra or VW Golf fell short of the promised sales targets. This is to change now a facelift version, which Nissan even understands as the second generation. Despite 100 modifications, the Leaf, which was now built in England for Europe and has hardly changed in terms of appearance, is not a real new edition, but in the best sense of the word it drives much more European than the battery-powered cars previously delivered from Japan. Above all, it attracts with a longer range and significantly lower prices thanks to different equipment lines that replace the previous standard equipment.

Nissan cuts prices on the Leaf

The Leaf in the new basic Visia version only costs from 29,690 euros including battery. If you order the battery in the newly offered leasing process at prices from 79 euros / month, you can get the Leaf from 23,690 euros. This makes the Nissan the cheapest electric vehicle in its segment and significantly cheaper than comparable plug-in hybrid models.

In the Visia version, the Leaf has halogen light, steel wheels and black rear-view mirrors. The middle level Accenta (from 32,690 euros with battery) includes light alloy wheels and a reversing camera as well as dark-tinted rear windows, while the top equipment Tekna (from 35,090 euros) new luxurious details such as xenon, leather seats, an all-round camera-supported parking aid and a seven-speaker sound system from Bose offers. The European Leaf, still 80 kW / 109 PS, arrives at German dealers in June.

Range of the Nissan Leaf increases

In fact, it is the range that is decisive for the acceptance and everyday use of the electric vehicle. This is particularly true in comparison to similarly large electrified competitors that do not do without conventional combustion engines as range extenders, such as Chevrolet Volt, Opel Ampera or Toyota Prius Plug-in. Compared to these rivals, the Leaf can now not only score points with a significantly lower purchase price.

In the standard cycle, Leaf drivers now travel 199 instead of 175 kilometers. According to Nissan, an "electric charge" costs around 2.60 euros on average in Europe. Refueling doesn't hurt, even if the electricity prices in Germany bring charging closer to five euros, and in practice the charging station has to be approached after 130 to 160 kilometers, as we found out during test drives. After all, this is sufficient for metropolitan areas. There is already a network of public charging stations here that is denser than you might think. Especially when you are in a city like Oslo, of course. It is not without reason that Nissan is presenting the renewed Leaf in the Norwegian capital. Northern Europeans can refuel at almost countless charging stations, and they also save VAT when buying,have free travel on bus lanes and no costs in public parking lots.

Long charging time for the Nissan Leaf

Nissan now also produces the Leaf in Europe for Europe
Nissan now also produces the Leaf in Europe for Europe

Back to everyday life on German streets. There is not only a lack of fast charging stations on rural roads, but also the possibility of halving the charging time at the home charging box, as the Leaf now enables in almost all other European countries. The so-called home wallbox with 32 amps, on which a full charge only takes four hours, is not approved in Germany. As before, it remains at eight or even twelve hours on conventional household sockets. Pioneering work is time-consuming and compensated for with other values. For example, with the good feeling of paving the way for locally emission-free electric mobility - and with driving pleasure.

More comfortable and yet not too tight seats with sufficient lateral support, responsive, direct steering, well-controlled brakes and a newly tuned, firmer chassis for driving fun on winding roads and through the maze of cities make the Leaf a pleasant life partner for four to five occupants, the it can compete with almost all conventionally powered compact cars in the disciplines mentioned. This also includes the 40-liter increase in the trunk volume, which at 370 liters is now exactly the size of the Opel Astra. The four cameras of the parking assistant are more unusual and useful, as they show a view of the vehicle on the seven-inch monitor of the navigation system when maneuvering.

Nissan Leaf leaves Porsche behind - for the first few meters

Nissan now also produces the Leaf in Europe for Europe
Nissan now also produces the Leaf in Europe for Europe

The Leaf plays its real trump card through the way its electric motor develops its power. The full torque of 254 Nm from standstill causes Porsche drivers to fall behind during the traffic light sprint and the almost silent acceleration amazes again and again - if the Leaf did not warn passers-by with short whistles up to 30 km / h. The sprint time of 11.5 seconds from standstill to 100 km / h is also impressive, while the regulated Vmax of 144 km / h is sufficient to swim along in highway traffic.

The Leaf always reacts spontaneously to accelerator pedal commands in a similar way to a high-performance dynamic engineer, unless the driver selects the Eco mode with a modified accelerator pedal characteristic in favor of a greater range. Then the battery-powered Nissan only accepts acceleration commands tenaciously and lethargically. In addition, the revised Leaf now also offers a so-called drive program B, which increases the range through increased braking energy recovery. With a lot of space in front and behind and almost lovingly carefully processed materials that look more European than in the Toyota Prius Plug-in, the Leaf also invites you to big family outings. Trips that were completely relaxed would not be left with a tense look at the range display. (SP-X)

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