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Nissan has unveiled a beefed-up version of its hit Leaf electric car. The unveiling took place at the Japanese company’s Yokohama headquarters, southwest of Tokyo.
The new $38,000 Leaf e+ is about the same size as the model on sale, but gets more power and cruise range. The best-selling electric car competes against Tesla models and General Motors’ Bolt.
The Leaf that’s on sale now costs around BD10,500, according to Nissan but the Leaf e+ boasts faster acceleration and has more torque and offers 40 per cent more range at 458km per charge, as measured under Japanese regulations, compared with the older model’s 322km.
It goes on sale in Japan later this month, and rolls out in the US this spring, and other parts of the world by mid-2019, Nissan said in a statement.
Nissan Executive Vice President Daniele Schillaci, pictured above, said the new model was offering customers more power and range, noting that it was ‘now more convenient and appealing than ever’.
Daniele is head of global sales and marketing and also the Zero Emission Vehicle and Battery Business.
More than 380,000 Nissan Leaf vehicles have been sold globally since its 2010 debut, a tiny fraction of the overall auto market. But many nations are bullish about electric vehicle technology as it allows newcomers in the industry a big chance to succeed.
It is also an ecological technology and can be greatly boosted by government policies.
