The 2016 Nissan Leaf EV will look the same inside and out, but the new option of a larger battery will deliver a 27 percent increase in range.
A 27-PERCENT BOOST IS GOOD, BUT THE UPCOMING 2018 MODEL PROMISES TO MORE THAN DOUBLE THE RANGE
Nissan has announced pricing for the 2016 Leaf, the top trim levels of which now feature an upgraded battery that yields a greater range. Sales of the the automaker’s pure electric hatch have been on a roll for the past couple of years, though the model itself is due for a complete redesign for the 2018 model year. The 2016 model, therefore, can be viewed as a placeholder until an improved Leaf arrives with a greatly enhanced range.
The upgraded 30 kWh battery is the major update for the 2016 model year, arriving standard on the SV and SL trim levels, and will yield an estimated 107-mile range. That’s a 27 percent improvement over the standard 24 kWh battery that’ll still be offered in the base Leaf S. The motor output remains the same regardless of which battery buyers choose: 107 hp and 187 lb-ft of torque.
The base Leaf will start at $22,360, after the application of a $7,500 federal tax credit. The mid-range SV trim level, with the new battery standard, will start at $27,550, while the range-topping SL model will be available from $30,140.
issan has also shuffled Leaf equipment, adding NissanConnect with Mobile Apps as standard, coupled with a 5.0-inch screen for the base Leaf S, while the two upper trim levels will receive NissanConnect with navigation and Mobile Apps coupled with a 7.0-inch screen and voice recognition. The Leaf also gains three new colors for 2016 for a total of eight: Forged Bronze, Coulis Red and Deep Blue Pearl.
The Leaf continues to be the best-selling pure-electric in those markets which have any kind of electric cars, but given the tremendous increase in range predicted it may make sense to wait until the Leaf’s replacement arrives. The 2018 model is expected to have a 200-mile range, at the very least, courtesy of a 60 kWh battery. These aren’t official figures for now, but everything seems to be pointing in that direction.
Source : http://autoweek.com/
2016 Nissan Leaf: Here"s what you"ll pay for longer EV range
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