In today’s mobility, new leaves are turned. The fully E-powered car is coming of age. Just take a look at the second generation Nissan Leaf. Improved range and power, presented in an even better looking package. We were again completely charmed by the completely “zen” mobility which this latest Leaf is offering you day in day out, and tell you here more about it… 

Hans Knol ten Bensel 

Improved looks… 

The second generation Leaf has (far) better looks than its predecessor, as the photos show, and has sleeker curves on all sides and angles. Not that the car has grown substantially bigger though; it has the same wheelbase as its predecessor, and the offers the same 93 cubic feet of passenger space and 24 cubic feet of luggage room. Also the cabin has gained in style and panache. We mentioned already in our first review the large and eminently readable analog speedometer, flanked by a configurable rather large digital display.

The touchscreen is easy and clear to read, and has one of the most simple, pleasant and intuitive interfaces we have come across. Using the navigation system is literally a breeze, and putting in a destination is something anyone can master in seconds. 

The whole car has a distinct quality feel about it, the workmanship and the materials used leave little to be desired. Our test car came with a number of useful extra’s and driver assistance systems, which make this Leaf even more relaxing and rewarding to drive, of which more later. 

…and performance

There is more (silent) power under your right foot: total power of the electric motor is now 147 HP instead of the former 107 HP, and this makes progress quality absolutely great. No hard working four cylinder engine to give you the necessary acceleration power to get ahead in today’s urban traffic jungle. Just put that right foot down and silently you are whisked away. This Leaf will sprint from 0 to 100 in under 8 seconds, and that doesn’t tell the whole story: it is the formidable torque of the electric engine which impresses most, as it delivers supercar intermediate accelerations. Going from 50 to 80 km/h for example costs merely 2,9 seconds… 

This mechanical silence and power impresses both driver and passengers, and indeed the “zen” feeling of this refined propulsion opens another world for you. The car is therefore truly delightful to drive in urban traffic, and use with verve on the open road over shorter distances. Because then you can enjoy all this abundant power to the full, without having to worry about available range. 

Traveling longer distances with your shiny Leaf is another matter. The practical useful range is around 250 kilometers, which means in an ordinary car you are starting your voyage with some 22-24 liters in your tank. The 40 kWh battery will give you according to the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure a range of 270 km, and this is quite realistic indeed. 

Driving a petrol engined car, your cautious wife would immediately advise you to tank the car up, and not leave the fuel gauge halfway if you want to make it safely, say from Antwerp to Amsterdam. Well, there you are. Use the brisk acceleration power, put the A/C on and you see the range of your Leaf dwindle fast to around 200 kilometers and less. 

So how does one drive with the Leaf when your destination is a good 200 kilometers away? Ultra smooth and hardly faster than your big companions on our busy motorways, your friends the truck drivers. You just choose the right lane, put on the cruise control and select a cruising speed of 105/110 kilometers (65 miles) or thereabouts. Accelerate smoothly and gradually out of roundabouts and from traffic lights. You get rewarded with an overwhelming “zen” feeling behind the wheel, and you can only shake your head philosophically when you see the traffic aggression around you. Indeed, you are now enjoying a useful 250/270 km range. You are now in a vastly different “E” world, and enjoying it. The uncanny mechanical silence lets you also taste music, and indeed we were spoilt by a magnificent BOSE audio system. Don’t forget, you can have the listening pleasure of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay… 

The “smart” right foot opens another driving world…

To relieve us from range anxiety as much as possible, we drove the Leaf of course in “Eco” mode and put the ergonomic selector in the “B” position instead of the normal “D” selection. This lets the engine act as a generator as soon as you lift your right foot to reduce speed, and it then starts to brake the car. 

Soon enough your right foot can judge the amount of declaration/braking which corresponds with the given pedal position, and within say a few trials you are perfectly able to stop or slow the car down for traffic lights or traffic situations without ever using the brakes. This will of course increase the practical driving range effectively, and it is very pleasant to use in urban traffic jams and stop and go traffic, and adds to the uncanny “zen” feeling. 

… with driving assistance systems helping you even more. 

Our test car came with the proPILOT, containing amongst others  a very easy to use parking assist system, and had also self steering lane assist and cruise control with the adaptive distance control. In heavy traffic, the system interferes quite frequently to keep you out trouble. 

The Leaf has its battery mounted under the floor, and this results in excellent weight distribution and very good cornering stability. Even when driving in a very spirited manner, it is hard to put the Nissan Leaf in any trouble, and with the excellent torque lets you pull out of corners with verve. You understood it, and we said it earlier: when you use the Leaf in conditions where range distance is no problem, it is a delightful car to drive, and it will give you tons of driving pleasure indeed… 

Practical charging… 

In daily use, the nose mounted charge inlet offers possibility of fast charging and “normal” charging from the mains. In the high power charging mode, the battery is replenished up to 80% in merely 1 hour. This understands that you use the CHAdeMO fast charger. Recharging the 40 kWh battery on the 32A/6,6 kW home wallbox will cost you 7,5 hours. Nissan tells us that there are already thousands CHAdeMO charging stations available throughout Europe. 

We consulted the map which is available through nl.nissan.be and found for instance that our nearby Ikea has four charging points available of Type 2, i.e. semi fast, 11 kW, 400 V AC-SINGLE 16 A. So when you do your shopping… 

Conclusion 

The electric car is becoming a fully grown alternative in today’s mobility.  This second generation Nissan Leaf amply proves the point. Practical, delightful to drive, with quite a useful range under “zen” driving style, it opens another world for you. We also loved all the driver assistance systems and the infotainment. 

When you have home charging possibility, there is nothing to hold you back anymore, and indeed, public charging points are coming thick and fast. 

Just slide behind the wheel, take this Leaf for a spin, and be sure it opens another leaf in your automotive life… 

Hans Knol ten Bensel