This is the world’s first mass-produced electric car – and even though zero emission
cars like the BMW i3 and Tesla Model S are great, there is no denying that the Leaf is
still one of the most viable zero-emitting vehicles on sale.
But why is that?
Well, it offers a practical hatchback shape, there is loads of kit on offer and it offers
a range of around 100 miles, meaning it will suit those after a short-distance run-around.
As part of a 2013 refresh, Nissan made this black interior avilable, a bit more mainstream
than the previously available cream upholstery.
In terms of practicality you have pretty much everything you would get in the likes of a
Ford Focus or VW Golf, with large door bins, a decent sized glovebox and plenty of other
storage compartments.
We recommend going for the bestselling mid-range Acenta model, as this brings cruise control,
privacy glass and a colour reversing camera as standard.
Kit on entry-level models is a bit sparse.
If you go for the flagship Tekna trim we have then you get a Bose sound system and Nissan’s
Around View Monitor, which makes parking easier thanks to a bird’s eye view of the car.
The main attraction in the cabin though is this Nissan Connect system, giving you the
likes of a sat-nav with a charger locater function and loads of different efficiency
and charger stats, keeping you up to date with exactly what you are getting in terms
of range.
You can even check this info on Nissan’s CarWings app.
Just download it for your phone and you can check how much charge you have and you can
even warm your car up using the climate control feature from the comfort of your living room.
The other eye-catching feature in here is the futuristic-looking gear shifter, and this
has a Drive, Reverse, Neutral and Park feature.
Anyway, to get on your way you just press the keyless start button here – you’ll
hear some music – then you take the footbrake and parking brake off, put it into drive,
then you are ready to roll And the first thing you will notice is how
incredibly quite it is, even when you put your foot down.
Doing so opens up 108bhp as well as instant pulling power – which is great fun.
Okay, it may not have the legs of a race car, with a top speed of just 89mph, but its immediate
acceleration is perfect for nipping into gaps in busy traffic.
Putting your foot down will drain the battery though, and you will soon see your predicted
range near the speedometer deplete.
But like I said earlier, realistically you can get around a 100 mile range – and the
ECO mode will help you hit that.
It’s a shame the Leaf’s range isn’t comfortably into the hundreds, because I would
love to drive up and down the country in this as it’s incredibly comfortable.
I mean everything from the seats to the extremely supple suspension just make it a pleasure
to drive – and I would challenge anyone who said anything different.
Is it fun to drive though?
Well… not really.
Its steering feels very vague and lifeless, so the BMW i3 is still the champ in this department.
The hatchback practicality in the cabin is exactly the same in the rear, with plenty
of leg and head room, it certainly doesn’t feel like you are sat in an electric car.
This large hump on the floor, will make leg room awkward for the middle passenger though.
Boot space is one of the Leaf’s trump cars as it offers 370 litres with the seats in
place – or 355 if you go for this Bose sound system.
That is an improvement of 40 litres over the original Leaf, and at 370 litres, it sits
in-between the Ford Focus and VW Golf for storage space.
Fold the seats down and you have 911 litres.
You will however get a big lip here, which is to accommodate the batteries.
Of course there is the charging.
There are three ways to charge, from a household three-pin socket, from a fast charger station
or from a rapid charger – although the latter are harder to find.
From a standard plug socket charging will take around 12 hours.
Get a fast charging station for your home though, which cost around £200, and that
time is cut to around 4 hours, according to Nissan.
A rapid charger however, found at service stations, can deliver 80% battery capacity
in just 30 minutes.
Eight hours of charging will add around £2 to your electricity bills – so your running
costs will be lower.
And with zero emissions also comes zero road tax.
But then there is its price tag of £16,490 and that is without the battery.
Throw the battery cost in and that is an additional £5,000, or upwards of £70 a month if you
lease it.
But what do you think of the Nissan Leaf?
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channel.
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