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
Doug Revolta Autocar
15 September 2015

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.

Read more Frankfurt motor show news

Get the latest car news, reviews and galleries from Autocar direct to your inbox every week. Enter your email address below:

Our Verdict

Nissan Leaf

Nissan Leaf

The electric Nissan Leaf has its work cut out competing with cheaper mainstream cars - but it does make a case for itself

Join the debate

Comments
10

LP in Brighton

1 July 2015
It's a pity that Nissan has followed the traditional upgrade path of flashier wheels and trim when what's needed is lower pricing and a longer range. Still, I see quite a few of these cars driving around Brighton, so maybe the company knows what it's doing. It will be interesting to see how much the design progresses when the second generation model arrives

marj

10 September 2015
LP in Brighton wrote:

It's a pity that Nissan has followed the traditional upgrade path of flashier wheels and trim when what's needed is lower pricing and a longer range. Still, I see quite a few of these cars driving around Brighton, so maybe the company knows what it's doing. It will be interesting to see how much the design progresses when the second generation model arrives

I'm confused by your comment as the article clearly states:

"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."

The increasing range is a massive plus point. Nissan like others, are still trying to recoup some of the massive investment and R&D costs so it might be why the price to the customer is still high compared to a Pulsar for example. I am sure as value engineering and the ability to integrate cheaper and more advanced technology the cost of these vehicles will become more competitive. As a car, regardless of fuel source, the Note isn't too bad, the main obstacle is to stop the customer seeing or realising the difference on how it is powered. I've got a feeling the next generation of EVs will be the turning point.

Jeremy

1 July 2015
Appropriate name for the journalist, that is, writing a story about rechargeable electric cars. Mr Revolta!

ordinary bloke

1 July 2015
I like the idea of an electric car - it would suit my type of motoring needs very well - but I just cannot get passed the looks of the Leaf with that strange nose and even wierder backend. And also the price of course; I've often wondered if the companies who make these cars would drop the price if there was not a Government grant of £5000; can't help but suspect that they hiked their initial list price so that the eventual retail price inclusive of the grant was more in line with what they would have charged without it. And don't get me started on the idea that you have to rent the battery at the same cost per month as it would cost to buy fuel for a petrol car .......


Enjoying a Fabia VRs - affordable performance

Adrian987

2 July 2015
@ordinary bloke, there's always the e-Golf for more conventional looks, or i3 for something really stand out (comments from my family on the i3 have all been on the "that's ugly" theme though). I am sure the pricing is very carefully engineered, to match anticipated sales/buyer profiles, and recoup as much of the investment as possible. The subsidy has the feel of it being a bit of window dressing, at taxpayer's expense. The market (and charging infrastructure) is not ready to take these en masse, so pricing them high probably makes some sense at the moment. Depreciation is one of the biggest motoring costs for new vehicles and that might actually be more of an issue on an electric vehicle than the battery aspect. Autocar commented on this for the e-Golf (and peers), so that would be my greatest concern at the moment. Buying a two year old one might be a better idea.

xxxx

10 September 2015
comments like "what use is this car I do 500 miles a day every day and don't have access to another car" "Plug-ins are pointless" blah blah blah. Still comments like these lessen every year.

 

Hydrogen cars just went POP

xxxx

10 September 2015
I believe that's the year the next Leaf comes out and I'm pretty sure that'll be having a 200+ range.

 

Hydrogen cars just went POP

Moparman

10 September 2015
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.

marj

10 September 2015
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?

Cé hé sin

10 September 2015
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.

Add your comment

Log in or register to post comments

Find an Autocar car review

Driven this week

  • Genesis G70
    Genesis G70 AWD 2017 review
    First Drive
    22 September 2017
    Based on the Kia Stinger, Genesis' new G70 saloon shows plenty of promising signs that it could be a hit in Europe
  • Lamborghini Aventador S
    Lamborghini Aventador S 2017 UK review
    First Drive
    22 September 2017
    Still visceral and dramatic as ever, but does the vast number of mechanical changes and tweaks help make the Lamborghini Aventador S more engaging?
  • Renault Koleos
    Renault Koleos
    Car review
    22 September 2017
    Renault’s new crossover sees the Koleos name return, attached to an SUV of a quite different stripe
  • Nissan X-Trail
    Nissan X-Trail 1.6 DIG-T 2017 UK review
    First Drive
    21 September 2017
    On our first chance to get the facelifted Nissan X-Trail on UK roads, the petrol proves a viable alternative, although for outright pulling power the 2.0 dCi is the better bet
  • Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2.2d 210
    Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2.2 210 Diesel Q4 AWD Super UK 2017 review
    First Drive
    21 September 2017
    Most powerful diesel version of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio is swift and more frugal than its closest rivals, but makes less sense than the range-topping petrol version