Photo: Kleber Silva on Behance
With the second-generation Leaf, Nissan didn’t create a worthy competitor for the Tesla Model 3 and Chevrolet Bolt for a particularly simple reason. And that is keeping the costs down, for pricing plays a major role in the take-up rate for electrified cars, especially when it comes down to first-time EV customers.
With its 40 kWh battery, the 2018 Nissan Leaf is superior in every conceivable way when compared to its predecessor. Next year, it will get better with the introduction of the 60 kWh battery pack, which promises 225+ miles of range. More interestingly, however, the underpinnings of the compact-sized hatchback will be employed by Nissan to create an electric crossover.
The future model doesn’t have a name yet, which is why is currently referred to as the Leaf SUV. Confirmed by the company's design chief, Alfonso Albaisa, the electrified utility vehicle will be presented next month at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show as either a concept or a working pre-production prototype.
There’s no spy photo or design sketch whatsoever on the long-rumored model, though these circumstances didn’t stop Kleber Silva to imagine how the Leaf SUV would look like. The pixel artist took to his Behance page to show off a Nissan Kicks crossover with the front fascia from the Leaf and two-tone bodywork, and indeed, the result ticks all the right boxes.
The big question is, can the Leaf platform accommodate two electric motors for e-AWD? And even more importantly, will the Leaf SUV get independent rear suspension instead of a torsion beam? All in all, there’s a lot of work to be done from an engineering standpoint before the Leaf SUV goes official.
Oh, and don’t forget that the competition is interested in the same burgeoning segment, with Tesla poised to introduce the Model Y and Volkswagen the I.D. Crozz in just a handful of years' time.
The future model doesn’t have a name yet, which is why is currently referred to as the Leaf SUV. Confirmed by the company's design chief, Alfonso Albaisa, the electrified utility vehicle will be presented next month at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show as either a concept or a working pre-production prototype.
There’s no spy photo or design sketch whatsoever on the long-rumored model, though these circumstances didn’t stop Kleber Silva to imagine how the Leaf SUV would look like. The pixel artist took to his Behance page to show off a Nissan Kicks crossover with the front fascia from the Leaf and two-tone bodywork, and indeed, the result ticks all the right boxes.
The big question is, can the Leaf platform accommodate two electric motors for e-AWD? And even more importantly, will the Leaf SUV get independent rear suspension instead of a torsion beam? All in all, there’s a lot of work to be done from an engineering standpoint before the Leaf SUV goes official.
Oh, and don’t forget that the competition is interested in the same burgeoning segment, with Tesla poised to introduce the Model Y and Volkswagen the I.D. Crozz in just a handful of years' time.
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