Front-wheel drive vehicles include Leafs. A 40.0-kWh battery pack and a 147-horsepower electric motor are both underpowered by today’s standards for the Leaf S. A more powerful, 214-hp electric motor and a bigger, 62.0-kWh battery are added to the Leaf SV Plus. The S managed a 7.4-second 0–60 mph time at our test track, but it feels more nimble than this figure suggests because of the electric motor’s immediate power delivery. However, as a result, it is slower than the Bolt EV and the Model 3. There is no doubt that upgrading to the more potent Plus model will result in faster acceleration, but we won’t be able to verify that until we have the opportunity to test one. With the help of the Leaf’s e-Pedal feature, the driver can alternate between two regenerative braking modes: one that slows the car down when you let off the gas and utilizes that energy to replenish the battery, and the other that slows it down when you let off the accelerator.
In This Article...
Is AWD available for the Nissan LEAF?
The two motor system powering the front and rear wheels of this LEAF e+ tester produces a combined 227 kilowatts (309 hp) and 680 Nm (501 pound-feet) of torque.
How is the Nissan LEAF handled in the snow?
Conditions are fairly hazardous because it is a chilly -15 Celcius (5 Fahrenheit) outside and there is 5 to 7 centimeters (2 to 2.75 inches) of new, fluffy snow on the ground. Bokor has smartly installed snow tires on his automobile, a set of Michelin X-Ice Xi3 205/55r16, as is recommended for anybody who lives in a colder climate. They genuinely alter everything.
The LEAF seems to easily pass the initial tests. It effortlessly navigates a roundabout and accelerates rapidly from a complete stop. He can tell the traction control system is working by the dash light that comes on. According to Bokor, there is no slippage while applying a large amount of throttle. He observes no sliding as the automobile continues to move in the direction indicated by the steering wheel, even when accelerating in a corner.
The e-Pedal stop test was another intriguing experiment. In essence, Bokor depresses the accelerator while traveling at 80 kph (50 mph) on a snow-covered road. The automobile then slows down and comes to a stop when the powerful regen of the e-Pedal system takes control. It is crucial that it completes the task without causing any of the tires to lock up, retaining control. Nice!
What are you waiting for? There is a doughnut test and much more to check out. Play this!
Description of the video
Episode Special – January 28, 2018 – My Leaf’s first snowy winter drive! This is the first time I’ve driven my Leaf on rural roads with significant snowfall. Since I’ve never owned an EV before, I’ve been eager to see how my Leaf—and pretty much all BEVs—will do in the snow. Join me on my ride through Caledon’s gorgeous hills to find out! Thank You for Visiting!
The Nissan LEAF 2018 has front-wheel drive.
Nissan gave the Leaf a well-known five-door hatchback style in an effort to appeal to average drivers.
[17] The car’s bottom has aerodynamic paneling, and the body is designed in a sharp V shape with big, upward-slanted headlights that divide and divert airflow away from the door mirrors.
[18] By placing the battery, which weighs the most in most electric cars, behind the seats and the footwells in the back, the center of gravity of the car is kept as low as possible, and it has more structural rigidity than a typical five-door hatchback.
[15]
The front wheels of the Leaf are driven by a front-mounted 80 kW (107 hp) and 280 Nm (207 ftlb) electric synchronous motor. The Leaf’s lithium ion battery capacity was initially 24 kWh and then raised to 30 kWh. [19] Automotive Energy Supply Corporation makes the battery. In the USA, it is guaranteed for eight years or 100,000 miles[20] and for one million kilometers or five years in Europe. [21]
The battery pack only receives passive radiation cooling instead of active cooling.
[22]
Three of the 35,000 Leafs sold in Europe, or 0.01% of units, had a battery failure, according to a 2015 report by Warranty Direct. By comparison, the failure rate for internal combustion engined vehicles is 25 times higher.
[24]
According to Nissan, the 2013 model’s drag coefficient is 0.28 while that of the 2011 model is 0.29. In comparison to hybrid and internal combustion engine vehicles, the Leaf often costs less to operate. [25] Even with government subsidies for plug-in electric vehicles, the Leaf’s higher initial cost means that the fuel savings may not be realized for a longer period of time than with comparable internal combustion vehicles. [26]
The telematics system CarWings was initially installed in some vehicles. This utilized the 2G cellular network from 2011 to 2015. Many regions have switched off 2G, so upgrading the telematic control unit is necessary to use newer networks. [27] It was rebranded NissanConnectEV in 2016 and is offered without charge to owners, depending on the year and model, if equipped. It provides GPS data as of 2017 for navigating and finding charging stations. Additionally, it might have two-way communication with the vehicle, allowing for remote control of the climate control and charging status. [28]
What is the Nissan LEAF’s actual driving range?
The real-world range of the 40kWh LEAF is probably around 150 miles. In the summer, that may be up to 200 miles, but in the winter, it might only be 100 miles on the highway.
Is the Nissan LEAF being phased out?
The little electric car from Nissan will be discontinued “before mid-decade,” according to trade publication Automotive News on Thursday.
Why it matters: Early models like the Leaf failed to gain traction, despite the fact that electric vehicles are largely seen as the future of the auto industry (hello Tesla).
Rewind: The Leaf soon overtook all other EVs after making its debut in 2011.
- Of the 977,639 automobiles Nissan sold in the U.S. in 2021, just 14,239 copies of the Leaf were sold there.
- However, it quickly lost the top spot to Tesla and fell short of Carlos Ghosn’s goal of selling 500,000 vehicles annually by 2013.
Zoom out: The Leaf’s problems were caused by its short battery life and small size, with the 2011 model’s first iteration covering only 73 miles on a single charge.
- The Leaf was victimized by shifting consumer demand for SUVs and pickups in the late 2010s as gas prices plummeted.
- The range increased over time, but Nissan has subsequently focused mostly on upcoming EVs, such as the stylish Ariya crossover.
The Leaf is currently blowing in the wind, but EVs are far from being extinct.
Can a Nissan LEAF be charged by a Tesla?
Tesla’s charging connector can only be used with a Tesla vehicle, especially if it is a Tesla Supercharger, so you cannot use a Tesla charger on a Nissan Leaf. Tesla is the only owner of its charger and is in charge of all aspects, including power delivery, payment, and control via the infotainment system of the vehicle.
Can a Nissan LEAF be plugged into a standard outlet?
The normal 120V charging cable, which may be put into a regular AC outlet for a Level 1 charge, must be purchased by new Nissan LEAF owners. While it isn’t quick, Level 1 charging enables you to extend the range of your Nissan LEAF wherever there is a conventional wall outlet.
Can you use a Nissan Leaf in the cold?
The SL/SV Plus 62 kWh Battery model or trim At 20–30°F, the observed range is 91% of the original EPA range. At 70°F, the observed range is 105% of the original EPA range.
The Nissan LEAF was an affordable EV pioneer. Sadly, it also gained a reputation for being ineffective in high heat and cold. This is probably because Nissan went with a passive battery heat management technology.
Here is what Nissan has to say about driving in chilly weather:
- The battery warmer (if present) comes on when the battery’s temperature is -1°F and goes off when it reaches 14°F.
- If the LEAF has a battery warmer, it will not function at a state of charge below 15% and the charging cable will be unplugged from the car.
- The Nissan LEAF battery can only store a certain amount of charge no matter how chilly it is outdoors.
- Considering that the battery cannot charge as quickly, regenerative braking is limited.
- Nissan does not advise keeping the Li-ion battery in a freezer for more than seven days. The battery can freeze as a result. The 2018 LEAF manual, however, advises against letting it dip below -1F.
Can electric vehicles be used in the winter?
In fact, during the cold, electric automobiles can start more smoothly than gas-powered ones! proclaims Archambault. A plugged-in electric automobile will perform better in the morning when it’s chilly outside (below -20C), just like a conventional car with an engine block warmer.
Can electric cars withstand the cold in Canada?
While the cold does shorten a battery’s lifespan, typical gas cars use more fuel to heat up in the winter than they do in the summer, making them more expensive to operate. Fortunately, EVs can easily handle the daily commute distance of less than 60 kilometres for the average Canadian. Many Prairie drivers of electric vehicles report having a good experience using their vehicles in the cold.
Following an analysis of 4,200 connected electric vehicles and 5.2 million trips, Geotab developed a Temperature Tool for EV Range, mapping out the effect temperature has on day-to-day electric vehicle range. This tool was developed to help people better understand how driving in cold weather affects electric vehicles. As new electric car models have larger batteries and can easily cover twice as much daily miles as earlier Electric Vehicles, cold weather effects on range are beginning to become even less of a concern, meaning there will be little influence on the majority of daily travel requirements.
You may increase the battery life of your electric vehicle to get the most miles per charge. Always keep your electric vehicle in a garage, preferably one that is heated. Whenever not in use, keep plugged in. Additionally, you may utilize the eco-mode feature to change performance parameters while driving and limit the use of the heater to save battery power.
Engine oil thickens and becomes less able to flow easily when the temperature drops. Oil and fluid circulation through the engine block may become challenging. Any battery is put under stress by this. An electric vehicle uses no gasoline because its entire power source is electricity.
Electric vehicle batteries are unlike cell phone batteries, for example, which would die if left in the freezing snow for 30 minutes, despite persistent myths to the contrary. An active thermal management system is present in electric vehicles. Simple notion, yet a complex phrase. The battery is attached to a heat pump and is submerged in a glycol bath, an organic substance from the alcohol family. The heat pump uses some of the power from the batteries to circulate and warm the glycol.
Another widespread misconception is that wintertime heating times for electric vehicles are longer. The majority of electric vehicles, according to the Electric Vehicle Association of Alberta (EVAA), employ resistive heating, which produces heat practically immediately. Instead of waiting for heat to be generated as the engine warms up, picture heating your car as you approach it. In the chilly winters of Alberta, instant heat equals instant comfort.