The second generation of the Nissan Leaf electric saloon is expected in Italian dealerships in March. Available in six trim levels, it uses a 40 kWh battery promising a range of 378 kilometres. The “intelligent” accelerator comes as standard.
Just a few months remain before the new Nissan Leaf arrives in Italy — one of the most popular battery-powered saloons in the world, with no fewer than 283,000 units sold to date. A car that promises to become a true best-seller, as evidenced by the more than 10,000 reservations recorded across Europe in just under two months since its official unveiling. This is proof not only of the model's appeal — radically redesigned — but also of the steady growth of interest in zero-emissions vehicles across the Old Continent, especially considering that the pre-orders were placed almost sight unseen, meaning buyers had no opportunity to get hands-on with the Japanese electric car.
In 2010, when the first generation of the Leaf was launched, reservations numbered just a few hundred. Since then, the world has changed — particularly in terms of the spread of charging stations and the focus on electrifying mobility — but at the same time the Japanese compact has taken giant strides. Range, for example, has grown from 250 to 378 kilometres according to the NEDC cycle, power has risen from 109 to 150 hp, and lithium-ion battery packs of 40 kWh, mounted beneath the seats, are now available. These upgrades do not affect the top speed, which is self-limited to 144 km/h as with the previous model, while recovering one hundred kilometres of range, according to official figures, takes just fifteen minutes at a public DC charging point with a CHAdeMO connector.
4 cm longer than the previous model, the new Leaf has been available to order in Italy since 2 October, priced at €37,490 in the well-equipped 2.Zero launch version. The standard range, with prices starting from €33,070, is organised across the trim levels Visia, Visia Plus, Enel Edition, Acenta, N-Connecta and Tekna. All trim levels include remote charging management, LED daytime running lights, automatic climate control and hi-tech safety equipment such as cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind-spot warning, and an audio system with Bluetooth connectivity and voice commands. The Visia Plus (€34,730) also adds alloy wheels, tinted rear windows, parking sensors, a reversing camera and the NissanConnect EV infotainment system with a 5.8-inch display and satellite navigation.
The Leaf Enel Edition (€36,160) is identical to the Acenta (€36,360), save for its specific livery, and comes with eco-fabric upholstery, a light sensor, adaptive cruise control and the NissanConnect EV multimedia system with a 7-inch screen incorporating Apple CarPlay and Android Auto protocols for seamless communication between car and smartphone. The N-Connecta (€37,935) benefits from 17-inch alloy wheels, a driver attention monitor, an electrochromic interior mirror, LED light clusters, heated seats, an electric parking brake, 360° surround cameras and, above all, the ProPilot driver assistance technology, which can autonomously manage the steering wheel, accelerator and brakes while driving on the motorway, provided no lane changes are made. The top-of-the-range Tekna (€39,790), finally, also features leather and Alcantara upholstery and a Bose audio system. It is the only version that can be equipped with ProPilot Park autonomous parking, offered at €500, which allows the car to identify and independently manoeuvre into both parallel and herringbone parking spaces.
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Manufactured at Nissan's Sunderland plant in England, where the company has invested £450 million (approximately €380 million), the new Leaf will reach European dealerships in February, as mentioned, while those in Italy will have to wait until March. Deliveries will reach full swing from April. The Japanese manufacturer, in addition to evolving its zero-emissions saloon, has "laid the groundwork" for the new Leaf's arrival on the Peninsula. An agreement has been signed with Enel under which customers of the car will receive a free energy supply for two years from public charging points and their home wallbox, including installation. The total energy made available amounts to 1,350 kWh.
The electrical "maturity" of the new Leaf brings two innovative technologies with it. On one hand, the Japanese saloon is compatible with the V2G strategy (Vehicle to Grid), whereby the car draws energy from or feeds energy back into the grid depending on load conditions and the needs of the public or domestic network; on the other, the e-Pedal function makes its debut, allowing the driver to manage the car using the accelerator pedal alone, thanks to an energy recovery system that acts as a genuine brake when the throttle is released, also calling upon the conventional braking system. A whole new world.