Photo: Nissan
When Nissan introduced the second generation of its very successful LEAF electric hatchback, we were less than impressed. Sure, it was a major step up from the initial model in every respect - exterior design included - but it fell short of the performance offered by the industry leaders.
We're not talking about acceleration - even though that too was nowhere near what Tesla vehicles can do - but more important things to an EV such as battery capacity, the resulting maximum range, and charging rates.
With a 40 kWh battery pack, the LEAF could only cover 150 miles (241 km) on a single charge, placing it way behind the likes of Chevrolet Bolt (238 miles) or Tesla Model 3 (220 miles for the base version). In fact, it was just marginally better than the unimpressive Volkswagen e-Golf or the Hyundai Ioniq Electric, with the Japanese EV's only saving grace being its price of under $30,000.
The company did mention, right from the off, that a long-range version would follow soon after, but it didn't release any facts about it. A range of over 200 miles was expected, since that's the minimum accepted from a modern EV, meaning a larger battery pack was in order.
Now, PushEVs claims to have acquired some new information on the 2019 Nissan LEAF, and if it proves to be correct, then this is the LEAF we've been waiting for all along. According to its data, the upcoming electric hatchback would get more than just an extended battery pack, making it a true alternative for anything else on the market that uses electric power.
Starting with the battery pack, its capacity is said to increase to 60 kWh, but also receive thermal management - something the current model lacks - and a new cell provider in the shape of LG Chem. This change should enable a maximum range of over 225 miles (362 km), but how much more than that is unclear. Either way, it would be dangerously close to the 238 miles of the Chevrolet Bolt.
Other modifications include a more powerful motor - from 110 kW to 160 kW, representing a hike of almost 50 percent - which should cut the zero-to-sixty time from 8.5 seconds to approximately 6.5 seconds. Still not crazy-fast, but then again Nissan isn't betting on sports car-like performance as much as Tesla is.
Another important change for the 2019 Nissan LEAF is its charging ability. The internal charger power goes up from 6.6 kW to 11-22 kW, while DC fast charging will now be allowed at rates of up to 100 kW. That should mean an 80 percent recharge would take less than 20 minutes.
Finally, the best news about this report is that the price for the improved LEAF shouldn't go up by much more than $5,000 compared to the current version. Since the Nissan is now priced well under the Bolt or Model 3, that means it shouldn't surpass its competitors, or at least not by a lot.
With a 40 kWh battery pack, the LEAF could only cover 150 miles (241 km) on a single charge, placing it way behind the likes of Chevrolet Bolt (238 miles) or Tesla Model 3 (220 miles for the base version). In fact, it was just marginally better than the unimpressive Volkswagen e-Golf or the Hyundai Ioniq Electric, with the Japanese EV's only saving grace being its price of under $30,000.
The company did mention, right from the off, that a long-range version would follow soon after, but it didn't release any facts about it. A range of over 200 miles was expected, since that's the minimum accepted from a modern EV, meaning a larger battery pack was in order.
Now, PushEVs claims to have acquired some new information on the 2019 Nissan LEAF, and if it proves to be correct, then this is the LEAF we've been waiting for all along. According to its data, the upcoming electric hatchback would get more than just an extended battery pack, making it a true alternative for anything else on the market that uses electric power.
Starting with the battery pack, its capacity is said to increase to 60 kWh, but also receive thermal management - something the current model lacks - and a new cell provider in the shape of LG Chem. This change should enable a maximum range of over 225 miles (362 km), but how much more than that is unclear. Either way, it would be dangerously close to the 238 miles of the Chevrolet Bolt.
Other modifications include a more powerful motor - from 110 kW to 160 kW, representing a hike of almost 50 percent - which should cut the zero-to-sixty time from 8.5 seconds to approximately 6.5 seconds. Still not crazy-fast, but then again Nissan isn't betting on sports car-like performance as much as Tesla is.
Another important change for the 2019 Nissan LEAF is its charging ability. The internal charger power goes up from 6.6 kW to 11-22 kW, while DC fast charging will now be allowed at rates of up to 100 kW. That should mean an 80 percent recharge would take less than 20 minutes.
Finally, the best news about this report is that the price for the improved LEAF shouldn't go up by much more than $5,000 compared to the current version. Since the Nissan is now priced well under the Bolt or Model 3, that means it shouldn't surpass its competitors, or at least not by a lot.
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