Turning over a new leaf

Nissan hopes that its second generation Leaf will help stimulate a market that has so far failed to reach the giddy heights that many predicted, says Roland Rendell

I took delivery of the top-spec Tekna model. At first glance, the trained eye can see some minor aerodynamic tweaks to the front grill and wing mirrors, but the car still looks like a modern family hatchback.

Underneath, there’s been a whole host of changes (at least 100, according to Nissan). The powertrain has been repackaged, reducing its weight by 32kg, and as a result, the boot has gained 40 litres of additional space courtesy of a relocated charger unit. Another change is a built-in locking mechanism on the plug socket to prevent anyone from unplugging the car when it’s charging.

Inside, a complete makeover has given the car a nicer look and feel. As always, my first function is to put the driver’s seat as far back as possible, and passengers benefit from an additional 5cm of leg room thanks to the re-designed front seats.

The centre console still features the touch screen, and this model also includes cameras for reverse parking. As well as a bumper mounted rear camera, there are wide-angle cameras in the front, back and sides of the car to give you a full 360 degree view. It actually looks like you’re being looked down upon from the satellites above… kinda spooky. Nissan’s CarWings connected device system returns, which lets you pre-heat the car using your smartphone or monitor the car’s charge from within your house.

As with all EVs, the acceleration is amazing. A new feature is the driving mode. If you want, pull the ‘gear knob’ towards the Drive position again, and this will select Braking mode, whereby the regenerative braking is increased during deceleration. This engages when the car is coasting or slowing down naturally too. Although it means that you freewheel less, you get more charge back over the course of a journey. Plus, on the steering wheel is the Eco mode – by selecting this you alter the throttle mapping to discourage harsh acceleration and extend the driving range. On the older Leaf, these options were combined and ran together

As for the handling, floor-mounted batteries provide a balanced centre of gravity, but you still retain a great response in the steering, meaning it tackles corners with ease. So, the key then is to make use of the new drive options, the reduced weight and your own EV eco-driving skills.

One great little feature is the picture of a little tree in the top left of the display (inset), which “grows” as your driving improves. Once a tree is fully grown, a new one sprouts, and so on… I managed 2¾ trees! And it becomes obsessive.

The car looks and drives better than its predecessor. As ever, zero to full battery can be achieved on a domestic 16amp power source in 8 hours, although this can be halved if you select the on board 6.6kW charger option, using a 32amp fast charger. This can provide a 30 to 80 per cent battery charge in just 15 minutes. However, you have to use one of the mere 40‑odd CHAdeMO standard quick chargers in UK.

Once charged, the new Leaf is supposed to be able to deliver 113 miles… however, as always, I would look at it like this – anything over 85-90 miles is a massive bonus.

There are 3 models and specs in the new Leaf. After the Government grant, the entry level ‘Visia’ starts at £20,990, while the mid-range ‘Acenta’ sits at £23,490. The top-end Tekna is £25,490. Nissan has also introduced a battery lease scheme, which has reduced the list price by £5,000, but requires a £70 per month fee to cover battery rental.

The new 2013 Leaf is a definite improvement over the original model in many ways. The extended range and claimed running costs of as little as 2.5p per mile are all compelling arguments to choose an electric car such as the Leaf if you’re a worker that typically travels less than 80 miles in a single journey.

Details
ENGINE: 80kW AC electric moto
CO2: 0g/km
RANGE: 113 miles
VED: Band A
BIK: 0%
PRICE (OTR): £25,490 (inc VAT, after government grant)