Originally, the thought was that we would see the new, longer-range Nissan Leaf offered at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Unfortunately, all the news around Nissan was negative due to the arrest of Carlos Ghosn, the Nissan boss. In a smart change of heart, Nissan chose to avoid the negativity last month and is waiting until at least the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show to give us the new Nissan Leaf. The show that it’s expected to be shown at now will take place in January and it could be where we see this new version of the Leaf be a headliner of the event.
Getting More Power for the Ride
The new Nissan Leaf is going to be called the Leaf E-Plus and it will be the model that will use the new 60-kWh battery pack that doesn’t have liquid cooling which will offer a much longer range for driving when a full charge is present. The current setup used in the Leaf makes use of a 40-kWh battery pack that offers a good range, but when compared to the competition on the market, it seems the current Leaf is left behind, which this new battery pack should correct.
Range and Charging of the new Leaf E-Plus
The new Nissan Leaf E-Plus with the 60-kWh battery pack is expected to offer a range of up to 225 miles from a single charge to make sure owners can have the range desired. The questions are still swirling regarding the charging and the time it takes for this battery pack. Using air cooling and heating for the battery when fast charging does help keep the costs down for the vehicle to make it possible for this little EV to be a little more affordable than it would be if liquid cooling was offered.
A Price Increase is Expected
The new Nissan Leaf E-Plus will come with a price increase which could bring the price up by $6,600. The base Leaf offers a price of $30,875 and this added increase makes the price come to $37,475 which is much closer to the base price of the chief competition of the Chevy Bolt EV. Tax incentives certainly make the price of these models more affordable, and with the extended distance offered by the larger battery pack, the Nissan Leaf E-Plus is a car that will certainly be one that continues to be popular on the market.
Expected Late in 2019
While we continue to wait for the reveal of this new Nissan Leaf model, we do expect it to be offered as part of the 2020 model year to be an easy choice for our drive. With this new model being closely compared to the other models on the market, you might be forced to choose the technology package and the qualities you want when you choose the EV that you’re going to love to drive. Expect to learn more when this car shows up at the Consumer Electronics Show next month.
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