The days of used imports being the only Nissan Leafs (or is that Leaves) on the road have come to an end, with Nissan New Zealand now offering the country’s most popular EV as a new car.
Officially on sale since yesterday, the new Leaf is priced at $59,990. While that’s a lot more than a used-import, it is still one of the most affordable new Electric Vehicles on sale in New Zealand.
The version Nissan is offering is the second generation Leaf (pictured), which has been available overseas since 2017. It features a 40kWh battery pack, which powers a 110kW/320Nm electric drive system. This compares with an 80kW/ 280Nm electric motor on the first generation Leaf, powered by either a 24 or 30kWh battery pack.
Among the various ‘‘indicative range tests’’, the 40kW Leaf is credited with a range of 243km according to the latest EPA test from North America, 270km using the new WLTP test procedure for Europe, and 315km according to the Australian NEDC ADR81/02 standard.
The new Leaf can be fully charged within 24 hours using a standard home wall socket, or 7.5 hours with a household wall box home charger installed. Commercial rapid charging takes around an hour from ‘‘alert’’ to an 80% charge.
Nissan New Zealand is offering the new Leaf in one specification, with an eight-inch touchscreen display, seven-inch Advanced Drive Assist Display, satellite navigation, a heated steering wheel, and heated front and rear leather-accented seats.
As well as being a zero-emissions vehicle, the second generation Leaf rates highly for safety, holding the maximum five-star safety rating by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).
- by David Thomson
Photo: Supplied
