Lift is different from drag, the difference being that the force is perpendicular to the oncoming flow direction instead of parallel. A term often encountered in aeronautics, lift is an important aspect of automotive design too, as Nissan points out with the next generation of its compact-sized electric vehicle.
Scheduled to premiere at the beginning of September, the 2018 Nissan Leaf is an aerodynamic masterpiece according to its creator. Inspired by an airplane’s wing, the engineers behind the Leaf recreated the concept for the newcomer, creating a symmetric air flow that helps the vehicle slice through the air.
The all-new Leaf plays the aerodynamics game so well, Nissan argues that the car realizes “zero lift for better stability at high speeds.” Lower to the ground than its predecessor, the second-generation Leaf is furthered by aerodynamic features designed to stabilize the vehicle when hit by strong crosswinds. If you have driven a van or any sort of a people carrier on the freeway, then you definitely know what a strong crosswind means in relation to vehicle stability.
All in all, better aerodynamics equal less air resistance, ultimately translating to more range on a full charge. Based on a set of spy photos, it’s safe to expect at least 265 kilometers (165 miles) of driving range from a 99-percent charge. Sometime during 2018, Nissan is supposed to introduce a long-range lithium-ion battery option with superior capacity. If the Japanese automaker can make a case for such a thing, then brace yourself for 60 kWh.
There’s still a month to go until Nissan will come clean about all there is to the all-new Leaf, and the automaker will take its sweet time about it, trickling a highlight feature every week or so until the big day. For those who aren’t willing to wait for the 2018 Nissan Leaf to go official, it’s worth remembering the production-ready model was photographed without any camo on its body.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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