New Nissan Leaf E+ Reduces Range Anxiety, But Demands A Compromise

BY Cristian Gnaticov | Posted on

The second generation Leaf has welcomed a new version with a longer range that sits on the top of the lineup. Named the Leaf e+ Tekna, is £7,900 ($10,054/€8,830) more expensive than the base Acenta in the UK and comes with a few visual and technical enhancements.

Compared to the rest of the Leafs, which pack a 40 kWh battery and have a range of up to 168 miles (270 km), the Leaf e+ Tekna uses a 62 kWh battery with rapid-charge functionality.

In the WLTP cycle, the range has increased to 239 miles (385 km). This is almost on par with some of its competitors, like the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia e-Niro, both of which are a about £3,000 ($3,817/€3,353) cheaper. Upgrading to the Tesla Model 3 SR+ requires spending an extra £3,000 ($3,817/€3,353), with the Leaf+ Tekna starting at £35,895 ($45,682/€40,119) including the £3,500 ($4,454/€3,912) Government Grant.

Also Watch: Here’s What It’s Like To Own The Nissan Leaf For A Year

Aside from the bigger battery, which has increased the ride height by 5 mm (0.2 in) and has made the car 150 kg (331 lbs) heavier, Nissan’s top-of-the-line EV gets a more powerful motor, too, that puts out 217 PS (214 hp / 160 kW) instead of the 150 PS (148 hp / 110 kW) the rest of the Leafs have to make do with. This allows it to accelerate to drop the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time by 1.0 second, to 6.9, and max out at 98 mph (158 km/h).

The redesigned front end and different 16-inch wheels are the major things that distinguish it visually from the rest of the lineup, whereas inside, it uses the same 8-inch touchscreen display with smartphone connectivity, navigation system and other amenities.

Now, having the ability to travel for nearly as much as its competitors in between charges should at least provide peace of mind to owners with range anxiety. However, the technical upgrades have made it less comfortable, WhatCar noted in their video review shared below, which might just talk some out of it. So, under these conditions, would one really need to spend extra on the Leaf e+ or should they settle to the lesser versions instead?

 

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