Photo: Nissan
Nissan is set to follow the largely successful launch of the all-new LEAF with a new battery-powered model, only this time in the shape of an SUV. The reveal should take place next month at the Tokyo Motor Show in the Japanese capital.
With its 150-mile range, the second-gen LEAF feels a little underwhelming at first, but the simple fact Nissan managed to keep the same price as for the old model while improving it under every aspect is a credit to the company. Plus, this is just the based 40 kWh battery pack version; a different one with a 60 kWh unit will follow with the maximum range said to be over 225 miles.
In other words, Nissan has built a decent EV platform with the new LEAF, so the expansion of its range of battery-powered vehicles was to be expected. By the looks of it, we won't have to wait long at all for the new model as it's just been confirmed by the company's design chief, Alfonso Albaisa.
The new electric SUV is said to be slightly larger than the gas-powered Qashqai, meaning it should offer a perfect mix of practicality and driving performance. We can't talk about any technical specs at this moment, but given the shared platform, we'd expect everything to be similar to what can be found on the LEAF.
With rivals such as the Volkswagen I.D. Crozz or the Tesla Model Y, the new Nissan SUV will have to support all-wheel-drive as well, which means installing two electric motors. The Nissan official didn't make any reference about this while talking to Autocar, but we expect the LEAF platform to be flexible enough to support one extra driving unit.
With a larger profile and added weight, the SUV should have lower range ratings than its hatchback counterpart, meaning the 40 kWh battery pack option is doubtful. However, expect the 60 kWh one to still offer over 200 miles of travel on a single charge.
As for the name, what's perfectly clear is that Nissan won't use LEAF as an electric model indicator like Volkswagen does with its I.D. range. The manufacturer recently trademarked the name "Terra," and since it was already used for an electric SUV concept, it could be an option. Hopefully, it won't retain its looks as well.
In other words, Nissan has built a decent EV platform with the new LEAF, so the expansion of its range of battery-powered vehicles was to be expected. By the looks of it, we won't have to wait long at all for the new model as it's just been confirmed by the company's design chief, Alfonso Albaisa.
The new electric SUV is said to be slightly larger than the gas-powered Qashqai, meaning it should offer a perfect mix of practicality and driving performance. We can't talk about any technical specs at this moment, but given the shared platform, we'd expect everything to be similar to what can be found on the LEAF.
With rivals such as the Volkswagen I.D. Crozz or the Tesla Model Y, the new Nissan SUV will have to support all-wheel-drive as well, which means installing two electric motors. The Nissan official didn't make any reference about this while talking to Autocar, but we expect the LEAF platform to be flexible enough to support one extra driving unit.
With a larger profile and added weight, the SUV should have lower range ratings than its hatchback counterpart, meaning the 40 kWh battery pack option is doubtful. However, expect the 60 kWh one to still offer over 200 miles of travel on a single charge.
As for the name, what's perfectly clear is that Nissan won't use LEAF as an electric model indicator like Volkswagen does with its I.D. range. The manufacturer recently trademarked the name "Terra," and since it was already used for an electric SUV concept, it could be an option. Hopefully, it won't retain its looks as well.
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