More mainstream styling and significantly larger battery capacity are features we should be expecting from the next generation LEAF according to Nissan executives.
The Nissan LEAF has been and continues to be a flagship for successful electric vehicles. To keep up with the latest models being released, Nissan have announced that some changes will be made to the next generation LEAF.
First and foremost, the new LEAF will benefit from new battery chemistry which will significantly increase its electric range; possibly by as much as 50%.
Although, no official figures have been confirmed, Andy Palmer, executive vice president in charge of Nissan’s zero emissions and Infiniti businesses, has said that the new LEAF would have to offer at least 185 miles from a single charge to compete with upcoming hydrogen vehicles.
This would be a significant improvement on the LEAF’s current official range of 124 miles and hopefully aid the EV market by making the switch to electric cars a more practical option for the consumer.
Andy Palmer described the new battery chemistry, likely to debut in 2017, as “game-changing technology” that really is the key to wider acceptance of EVs and in turn higher sales.
The Nissan Infiniti is slated to be the first EV model to debut Nissan’s new battery technology as well as an exciting wireless inductive charging system. The LEAF will follow and most probably enter the market before 2020.
The next generation Nissan LEAF will also undergo a restyle that will give it a more ‘mainstream look’. Nissan executive design director Mamoru Aoki complemented the Tesla Model S for not having an “EV-like appearance”.
The design team hinted the new LEAF will remain distinctive yet move away from the traditional “EV look” that they believe deters potential buyers.
Automotive News, treehugger
