Currently reading: New battery for Nissan Leaf to deliver 155-mile range
The 30kW option will go on sale in December with an increased eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty, priced from £24,490

A new 30kW battery in the Nissan Leaf will go on sale in December, delivering a claimed range of 155 miles.

It will go on sale alongside the 24kW unit but will only be available in Acenta and Tekna trim, priced from £24,490 to £27,940 including the UK government’s £5000 Plug-in grant, which was recently extended until February 2016.

Nissan is also increasing its warranty for the 30kW unit to an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

The new battery brings an increase in range of around 25% over the alternative 24kW unit, according to Nissan. It has the same dimensions as the lesser-powered unit but is 21kg heavier. The manufacturer says this longer range is the result of the introduction of carbon, nitrogen and magnesium to the electrodes in the new unit.

Nissan expects the real-world range of the new battery to be around 12-15% less than the claimed 155 miles, representing a similar loss to the 24kW unit. This would put the new battery's real-world range at around the 135-mile mark.

In Acenta and Tekna trims, the 30kW Leaf comes with a 7.0in touchscreen and the smartphone-compatible Nissan Connect EV infotainment system, which allows users to check the charge status of the car and remotely control features such as the air-con. The system the previous Car Wings set-up.

The new infotainment package includes a charging map that can show which charging points are available and which are being used. It also delivers maintainance alerts and a car-finder facility.

Exterior alterations are minimal and include a new roof-mounted aerial as well as the choice of a new bronze colour.

"It's a game changer for Nissan," said EV director for Europe Jean-Pierre Diernaz. "This increased range will have an impact on the perception of our electric vehicles and will open it up to a wider market."

Diernaz also added that the Leaf range could expand in the future to new electric models.

"It's possible," he said. "We will take this technology, improve it, and we are looking at putting it wherever it is relevant for us as a line-up expansion, and where it is releveant for a consumer.

"This new battery is just the beginning of something bigger," he added. "The next milestone is a range of over 180 miles."

Earlier this year Nissan expanded the Leaf trim range with a new Acenta+ version, sitting between Acenta and range-topping Tekna priced at £24,740 including the plug-in grant.

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Cé hé sin 10 September 2015

Range

Interestingly this latest version of the Leaf has been launched in America at the same time - with a range of 107 miles! I suspect that this is a more realistic figure than the 150 miles claimed by Nissan here.
marj 10 September 2015

Next generation

Can anyone shed some light on this rumour. I have heard that much the 'car' part of the Tesla range was developed with Mercedes and Tesla is to develop Apple's iCar (or whatever it is called). There are some more rumours saying that Mercedes is a key part of the Tesla buy out, which makes me think that with RNA's tie up with Mercedes, the next Leaf could well be a cut price next generation Tesla. Is this what Jean-Pierre Diernaz is hinting at?
Moparman 10 September 2015

Rarity in these parts

I live about two hours south of Washington, D.C. and I can count the number of Leaves I have seen on the road with one hand since it has been introduced. The Chevrolet Volt barely needs two hands. The Tesla Model S, though, comfortably bests both of these models put together. It goes to show that there is a market for these things when they are done properly. The cost is commensurate with the engineering.