The Nissan Leaf has welcomed a handful of updates for the 2021 model year, including more advanced safety systems and a new acoustic vehicle alerting system (AVAS).
The familiar Nissan trim levels have been retained, with the 40kWh, 168-mile-range version of the Leaf available in Acenta, N-Connecta and Tekna guises. The latter pair can also be specified with the larger (62kWh) battery, which officially returns up to 239 miles of range.
Prices for the 40kWh model start at £25,995, while the 62kWh model costs from £30,445. The updated Leaf is on sale now, and all versions qualify for the UK government’s £2500 EV grant.
Wi-fi, smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and an intelligent blindspot intervention (IBSI) system are all now standard features on the Leaf. Intelligent rear-view mirror (IRVM) monitoring is available as an option on N-Connecta and Tekna grade cars.
Nissan created its new AVAS specifically for European versions of the Leaf. Dubbed Canto by the Japanese company, it blends a "spectrum of sonic palettes" to warn pedestrians and other road users when the car is accelerating, braking or reversing. The sound is emitted at speeds of up to 18mph.
The technology has been a mandatory feature on electric vehicles since 2019, after it was pointed out that the near-silent nature of EVs posed a safety risk.
“Customer safety is paramount, not only for those behind the wheel but those surrounding the car as well,” said Marco Fioravanti, Nissan Europe's vice-president for product planning.
“As the world becomes more and more electrified, this sound will soon become part of the soundscape of our roads as Nissan’s signature EV sound, moving us closer to our goal of a zero-fatality driving experience.”
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