Nissan Leaf was more than welcomed when it debuted back in 2010 because it brought beautiful design and electric motoring in the reach of an average buyer. Its sales were strong at the beginning, but because of some other EV models such as Chevrolet Bolt and Tesla’s cars, that has slightly changed. The Japanese automaker will soon introduce the 2018 Nissan Leaf and it will come with quite nice upgrades.
The IDS autonomous EV concept was unveiled by the company two years ago, and back then, it was supposed to be an inspiration for the next Leaf. Some of the concept elements were transferred to the production version, but these two vehicles clearly differ. Meanwhile, the new EV will be a blend of the latest Nissan Micra supermini and the current Leaf, and we expect to see V-Motion grille, wedge-shaped headlights and chiseled lower bumper.
If you take a look at the 2018 Nissan Leaf from the sides, you will see a rather conventional vehicle lines with tall proportions, floating roof, and a blacked-out C-pillar up-kink. The horizontal taillights will be dominant at the back where you can find a subtle rear diffuser as well.
The ongoing Nissan Leaf can only go 107 miles per charge, which is insufficient compared to Tesla Model 3’s 215 miles or Chevrolet Bolt’s 238 miles. In order to improve in this aspect, The Japanese automaker will offer both 40 kWh and 60 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that will help the Leaf go over 200 miles per charge. The performance will be improved as well, and the 2018 model with the 60-kWh battery will reach 60 mph under 7 seconds.
At the Consumer Electronics Show at the beginning of this year, Nissan confirmed that the ProPilot autonomous driving technology will be offered on the 2018 model. This means that the car will be able to drive itself in a single lane on highways, while some further updates which are expected down the road are the inclusion of multi-lane self-driving and a Seamless Autonomous Mobility command center.
The 2018 Nissan Leaf will be introduced this fall whereas the deliveries should start before the Christmas. Stay tuned for pricing, features and additional performance numbers.
