Nissan Leaf 2 Zero Vs Tekna

Nissan LEAF e+

Background

The Nissan Leafage was the kickoff mass-produced all-electrical family unit car and since its original launch information technology has sold well in the U.k. and Europe (information technology was the summit selling electric vehicle in Europe in 2018). Early models had a real-life driving range of around 100 miles, or less in winter, which provided a barrier for many drivers of petrol and diesel cars who might accept considered switching to an EV. The latest Leaf eastward+ has a 239 mile range according to the new, more realistic WLTP examination, which should make information technology a more than feasible offering for motorists.

Nissan LEAF e+

Pattern & Engineering

The Foliage is a 5-door, v-seat hatchback with 385 litres of boot infinite. The outside styling of the latest Leafage at present looks more mainstream and in our optics – and seemingly in nigh people's – is an improvement compared to the first generation Leafage. The interior has likewise been improved on this latest model.

Few major engineering changes have taken place under the skin – aside from the larger 62 kWh lithium-ion bombardment in this new Foliage due east+. This offers 55% more than capacity and a 25% improvement in energy density while retaining a like shape and size to the 40kWh LEAF bombardment pack. Maximum power output and torque accept been also improved to 217PS and 340 Nm, delivering more powerful acceleration.

The battery sits in the vehicle flooring (the depression centre of gravity helps with handling), there's an electric motor nether the bonnet, and the LEAF is front-bicycle drive.

Nissan LEAF e+

Nissan LEAF e+ Driving Experience

The Nissan LEAF e+ shares the driving characteristics of about electric cars: it moves off swiftly and silently, with the constantly available 340 Nm of torque giving a strong, linear experience to its acceleration. Our driving during the week that the LEAF was on exam covered all imaginable types of road, from motorways to urban areas, with everything in betwixt, including winding state roads and the hilly Peak District. At all times the Leafage is easy to bulldoze and eager to accelerate (information technology has a very respectable 0-62 mph time of 6.ix seconds), whilst being comfy, tranquillity and refined – likewise as being zilch emission.

The Leaf has automated transmission, with 'D' and 'B' settings. The B setting captures more than regeneration, simulating the feel of engine braking – which is useful for driving through areas such equally the Top District, with lots of hills and corners.

However the Leafage also has an 'eastward-pedal'. When activated, this provides maximum regeneration – to the extent that 'one-pes driving' is possible, ie. you lot but need to lift off the accelerator and the car volition restriction itself using the regen system. There are some times when having the east-pedal switched on is helpful, and some times when you might prefer information technology to exist off, but overall the e-pedal is either 'on' or 'off'. We preferred the B setting on the transmission, which is a flake more of a 'half-mode house' setting, merely ideally a range of regen levels controlled past steering cycle-mounted paddles would be best, which is what many other EVs offer.

There's also an Eco push – which proved useful when 2 public rapid chargers didn't work and there was an urgent necessity to maximise the LEAF'southward range.

Drilling downward to more item highlights a few issues to exist enlightened of. We went to Oslo to see the unveiling of this latest 'version ii' of the Foliage dorsum in October 2017. The first thing we did was jump in the auto (which was on static brandish just rather than being bachelor for driving) to see if Nissan had introduced a reach adjustable steering column for this latest model. Subsequently releasing the steering column mechanism and spending a few moments trying to pull the wheel to run into if it moved, it became obvious that the i comeback that we wanted hadn't been made. This is still the case for the Leafage e+ 3.ZERO, which means that many people volition non be able to become the correct driving position, as the steering bicycle is in a fixed location shut to the dashboard and a long way from the driver's seat. And so although the Leafage – like nearly EVs – is basically very good to bulldoze, ultimately the driving feel is compromised by the lack of steering bicycle attain aligning.

Aside from this issue, the driving experience is more often than not pleasant overall, but at college speeds the machine feels 'floaty' rather than planted to the road. At lower speeds, if you're accelerating quickly to get into a gap in traffic, especially in the wet, considering the Foliage is front-bike drive, all that torque can atomic number 82 to wheelspin and torque steer.

And compared to many rivals, the infomedia arrangement feels dated, and in particular the satnav could really benefit from improvement. The screen is small, and when using sabbatum nav on motorways and dual carriageways, half of the screen is oft taken upwardly with a list of roads junctions or service stations alee, leaving very petty infinite for the map. The mapping graphics don't feature much detail, and the colours of red and blue for roads and your road aren't very clear, especially at night when the map groundwork is black.

Nissan LEAF e+

Nissan LEAF e+ Economy and Emissions

The whole point of the Leaf is that it has zero tailpipe emissions. And this latest version offers a more applied 239 mile combined electric driving range according to the new, more than realistic WLTP exam. We managed 243 miles on one charge in the real-globe, suggesting that the WLTP effigy is pretty accurate. On the WLTP City bike, the range increment to 319 miles.

Well-nigh people charge their EVs at domicile, when a 7kW home charger would take 11 hours 30 minutes to accuse the car from empty to full. This would take 32 hours on a domestic 'iii pin plug'.

In our week with the Foliage nosotros drove from Manchester via Nottingham to Melton Mowbray and back. To achieve this journeying we had to use public charging. We've reported on our latest experience of public charging in a split story, but in summary, let'southward but say that the 99% of motorists who are yet to make the switch to electric cars will not put up with having to annals with lots of different apps for different charging providers to charge their cars around the UK – especially when the charging points so don't work.

If you can find a public charger that does work, and so the Foliage has a 50kW CHAdeMO quick charger with 100kW capability. Nissan says that the LEAF is equipped with charging safeguards to protect the battery during repeated rapid charging sessions in a short menses of time; the time taken for successive rapid charging can take longer if the battery temperature activates the battery safeguarding technology. This basically means that you can't necessarily carry out repeated rapid charges of the LEAF.

How to accuse an electric motorcar

Nissan LEAF e+

Toll and Model Range

The Nissan LEAF e+ 3.ZERO, including Magnetic Red Metallic Paint (£575), costs £36,670. This is afterward deduction of the £three,500 Government Plug-in Grant. Our test car had the option of a Two-Tone Pearl Black Roof (£350), taking the total toll of this car to £36,820.

In that location's also the (not e+) Nissan LEAF, with 150PS and a 168 mile range, from £27,995.

There's one factor that'southward probable to steer many people towards the Nissan LEAF, likewise as towards other EVs: Benefit in Kind company auto tax will drop to zero percent in Apr 2020 (reflecting the lack of joined-upwardly government thinking, the BIK rate for EVs is currently sixteen%).

Although EVs may still be more than expensive to buy than similar petrol or diesel cars, the running costs of an EV tin exist around one-fifth of those of a petrol car.

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Determination

The Nissan Leaf e+ 3.ZERO is substantially a adept car to bulldoze, and with nil tailpipe emissions, it makes much more sense for journeys that are primarily in urban areas than petrol or diesel fuel cars. It also has improved styling compared to the original Leafage model, and is reasonably applied in terms of space. Critically, the 239 mile electrical range means that more than people are probable to consider it.

Nevertheless the main challenge for the LEAF is the presence of rivals such equally from Hyundai and Kia, in the form of the Hyundai Kona Electric, the Kia e-Niro, and the forthcoming new Kia Soul EV. All three of these cars take longer WLTP electric driving ranges (of effectually 280 miles), and they cost less than the LEAF – in the case of the Hyundai KONA Electric, it costs £32,845 after the government'due south £three,500 Plug-in Car Grant – so it's £3,825 cheaper than the LEAF. The Hyundai and Kia EVs besides have steering columns that adjust for reach, so yous can savour a better driving position. Merely maybe the key effect is that if the forty or then miles of extra driving range means that you don't have to fight with the current United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland public charging infrastructure as often, then that could exist the deciding factor in your buying decision.

The Nissan LEAF due east+ iii.ZERO is awarded a Light-green Car Guide rating of 9 out of x.

Motorcar facts and figures Nissan Leaf eastward+ three.ZERO 62 kWh Review

CO2 emissions (WLTP): 0 chiliad/km
Driving Range (WLTP): 239 miles
Real-world Driving Range every bit tested: 243 miles
Vehicle tax rate (VED): £0 yr 1, £0 year ii onwards
Weight: 1709 kg
Benefit in Kind (BIK) company auto tax liability (2019/twenty): 16% (0% in 2020/21).
Cost: £36,670 later deduction of the £3,500 Government Plug-in Grant
Insurance grouping: 21
Ability: 217 PS
Max speed: 98 mph
0-62 mph: vi.ix seconds
Torque: 340 Nm