Nissan Leaf: Top features

Electric vehicles aren’t as new as you think they are. The first-generation Nissan Leaf, an electric hatchback, was launched back in 2010 and it continued its journey until 2017. That’s when Nissan gave the Leaf a major upgrade and pushed it into its second-generation.

The latest 2019 Nissan Leaf has been launched in Malaysia earlier this year for a price of RM 188,888. And here are its top features. Since the Leaf is an electric car, we would like to start with some of its unique ‘electric’ features when compared to conventional ICE vehicles.

Battery Pack and Electric Motor

Nissan Leaf specs list a bigger 40 kWh Lithium-ion battery pack that is capable to provide a claimed range of 311 km (NEDC test cycle). It takes around 7 hours to fully charge the batteries when charged via the 6.6 kW charger and only an hour when plugged into a 50 kW quick charger.

These batteries power up the 110 kW AC Synchronous Electric Motor which produces 150 PS of power and 320 Nm of torque which is sufficient to pull the car from a standstill to 100 kmph in 7.9 seconds and take it to a top speed of 155 kmph (electronically limited).

TECHNICAL SPECS
ELECTRIC MOTOR TYPE	110 kW AC Synchronous
MAX POWER {KW (PS)}	110 (150)
MAX TORQUE (NM {KG-M)}	320 (32.6)
BATTERY (KWH LITHIUM-ION)	40
WALL BOX CHARGER (KW)	6.6
GEAR	Single-speed Reduction
DRIVE MODES	e-Pedal, D Mode, B Mode, ECO Mode, B-ECO Mode
BATTERY TYPE	Laminated Lithium-Ion
VOLTAGE (V)	350
CAPACITY (KWH)	40
NUMBER OF MODULES	24
NORMAL CHARGING: AC, 6.6KW	7 hours
QUICK CHARGING: DC, 50KW	1 hour
MAX DRIVING RANGE	311km (Based on New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) test mode)

E-Pedal

Nissan says that you can literally drive the Leaf with a single pedal. Press down the accelerator pedal when you want to move forward and release it to slow down. This feature would really come in handy when driving in dense traffic.

What about the brake pedal?

Ans. For those of you who are wondering about the brakes, yes, there is a brake pedal too!

Drive Mode Selector

The cabin of the Nissan Leaf is more or less similar to that of any other conventional car. However, it is the Drive Mode Selector that stands out. It is a circular knob located in the centre console. It looks really cool. You can use it to switch between the various driving modes - D mode, B mode, ECO mode, and B-ECO mode.

Super Quiet Cabin

Talking about the cabin, you will find Leaf’s cabin to be scarily quiet! Since there’s no engine, there is no engine noise. There are fewer moving parts and hence there are minimal vibrations. Overall, you will have a totally different experience driving the Nissan Leaf.

Customisable Display

Sitting right behind the flat-bottom steering wheel is a customisable display next to an analogue speedometer. You can switch between various information on this digital display, like range, power, battery capacity, audio info, etc.

Nissan Intelligent Mobility

This is Nissan’s advanced safety pack that comes with numerous high-tech safety features like-

• Intelligent Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection
• Intelligent Forward Collision Warning with Intelligent Emergency Braking
• Intelligent Trace Control
• Intelligent Ride Control
• Intelligent Driver Alertness

All these features work together to make sure you and others are as safe as possible.

Are there any other safety features available with Nissan Leaf?

Ans. Yes, apart from Nissan Intelligent Mobility, the Leaf gets the following safety features-

• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
• Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)
• Brake Assist (BA)
• Hill Start Assist (HSA)
• Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
• Regenerative Braking System
• 6 SRS airbags - Front Airbag X 2, Side Airbag X 2 & Full-Length Curtain Airbag X2

Nissan Leaf Owners Privilege

The New Nissan Leaf Owners Privilege takes away your range anxiety with complimentary 23 days usage a year of a Nissan X-Trail SUV, Serena MPV, and Navara Pickup for your other travelling needs, during the first 3 years of ownership.

Low Maintenance and Running Costs

Compared to conventional cars, the Leaf has low maintenance and running costs. To give you an idea, since the Leaf is 100% electric, it doesn’t need an oil change, spark plug replacement, etc. Its first service interval is at 20,000 km just for consult diagnosis and AC filter replacement.

Nissan says that the running a Leaf would cost you a claimed RM 0.07 per km. Isn’t that unbelievable?

These were the top features of the Nissan Leaf. We would definitely advise you to go to a nearby Nissan dealer and test drive the Leaf to really understand this electric car. We bet you’d be amazed by the driving experience. As far as the Nissan Leaf price is concerned, it will cost you RM 188,888.

Also read: Nissan aims to electrify 25% of its upcoming vehicles in Asia and Oceania by 2022