The 2018 Nissan Leaf, currently being sold in the international market, is anticipated to be a crucial product in the list of upcoming electric cars in India. It has proved to be one of the best-selling electric cars worldwide and is expected to perform well in the Indian auto market soon. It has been announced by Thomas Kuehl, Nissan India’s President, that the second-gen Nissan Leaf will be launched in India in this fiscal year. The new EV was first introduced in Japan in September 2017 and then made its debut at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show last year. The upgraded Leaf has a brand-new and more energetic design, a list of advanced features and modern driving technology. Read the article to see what this EV offers in more details.
It has been confirmed by the Japanese automaker that its global products will be introduced to the Indian market, the first of which will be the new-gen Leaf electric hatchback. The EV will be officially launched this fiscal year (April 2019).
Nissan Leaf is the internationally best-selling emission-proof car. Since its first launch in 2010, 3,00,000 units have been sold.
The all-new Nissan Leaf will be launched in early 2019
The 2018 Leaf borrows its exterior ideas from Nissan IDS concept. In the front, the car comes with the typical V-motion grille of Nissan. Fashionable features like the novel 3D blue grille with 3D mesh pattern contribute to the aggressiveness of the front fascia. What is also noteworthy is that the new LED projector headlamps with dual, direct-lens low and high beams, is for the first time, equipped on the new Leaf.
The new Nissan Leaf front has been refreshed to become more aggressive
Other exterior prominent features consist of
In the side profile
Sporty aero-design wheels which help attain reduced drag
Black ORVMs
Floating roof thanks to the partially black C pillar
Shark fin antenna
The 2018 Nissan Leaf side profile comes with several new features such as black ORVMs, shark fin antenna, etc
In the rear
Angular vertical LED taillights
Sculpted tailgate
Integrated rear spoiler
Diffuser-type rear bumper
The 2018 Nissan Leaf rear has some brand-new features including sculpted tailgate and integrated rear spoiler, etc
The interior of the new Nissan Leaf comes with an all-black tone which contributes to its sportiness. Inspired by the Nissan’s ‘Gliding Wing’ design, the cabin of the 2018 Leaf hatchback looks more fashionable and modern than the outgoing model with a list of cutting-edge connectivity and comfort features. To be more specific, it features blue stitches and a hallmark of Nisan on seats, armrest, door trim, polished black shade around the air conditioner control panel and a flat-bottom leather multifunctional three-spoke driving wheel. It is also equipped with a 7-inch TFT touchscreen display which supports a navigation system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
The 2018 Nissan Leaf is equipped with a new dashboard offering many advanced features
What’s more, the Leaf also provides the driver with information about the place and operating time of charging stations. It offers an ample space to the occupants with high-quality materials. Moreover, a 435-litre luggage area and a 0.8 drag coefficient are also offered with the new EV.
The 2018 Nissan Leaf provides an ample cabin for the customers, ensuring comfort while travelling
As regards mechanical specifications, the all-new Nissan Leaf utilizes a new e-power train, which is believed to enhance the power and torque, performance and energy efficiency. Despite remaining the size, the 2018 Leaf hatchback has a longer range, thanks to the novel 40kWh lithium-ion battery pack which offers 67% higher energy density. The battery pack can produce 148bhp of max power and 320Nm of peak torque.
The car can travel up to 400km per charge. You will have to spend from 8 hours to 16 hours fully charging the new battery pack. A quick charging feature is also on offer, which can help the car to be 80% charged in 40 minutes. Nissan has also announced that it is developing a more powerful Leaf version which will have a 550km range per charge to effectively compete with its direct rival, Tesla Model 3 which can reach a driving range of around from 350kms to 500kms.
The 2018 Nissan Leaf can reach a driving range of 400km/single charge with a new e-power train
The new Nissan Leaf is the first product of the company to be equipped with ProPILOT Park semi-autonomous driving technology. This system consists of a camera and sonar to monitor braking, steering and throttle input, which allows the car to park in straight back-in, parallel or angled parking places. A smart one-pedal driving technology is also available on the new Nissan Leaf, which helps the driver accelerate, decelerate, stop and hold with only the accelerator pedal. A Nissan Safety Shield is also on offer with the hatchback.
The EV is packed with a wide range of safety features, which would leave the customers with no worry about safety. The safety features include
Lane Departure Warning System
Lane Intervention
Traffic-Sign Recognition
Intelligent Emergency Brake Assist
Blind Spot Monitor
Intelligent Around View Monitor
Emergency Assist for Pedal Misapplication
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
The 2018 Nissan Leaf is equipped with ProPILOT Park semi-autonomous driving technology which helps ensure a comfortable driving experience
The price of the 2018 Nissan Leaf now can only be estimated because there has been no official confirmation from the Japanese automaker regarding this matter. If it is locally assembled in India, it will have a much more competitive price. The Indian government is trying to encourage the use of EVs and completely shift to eco-friendly vehicles by 2030. The new Leaf can also benefit from the new taxation system (GST) which reduces the tax rate for EVs to 12%. As the Leaf hatchback will be imported to India through the CBU (completely built up) route, its price will experience a hike. The 2018 Nisan Leaf is estimated to be priced at above Rs 35 lakh (ex-showroom).
The 2018 Nissan Leaf is expected to be imported to India as a CBU unit
With the top-selling electric car to be introduced in India, the Japanese automaker is putting the first steps to the India potential EV segment. With a lot of advanced features and intelligent technologies, the Nissan Leaf EV can potentially become a popular vehicle with the Indian auto buyers, directly competing against another well-known EV product in India, the Tesla Model 3.
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