Despite the abolition of customs simplifications for the import of electric vehicles into the country, Russians continue to actively import cars with electric motors. Even with large additional payments at customs, this vehicle can seriously save you money, since you do not have to stop by for a gas station and undergo expensive annual maintenance. But the problem with many affordable electric vehicles is that they only go 130-150 km on a single charge. This is not enough if you even occasionally go to the track. After 1-2 hours of driving along the highway, the electric car will run out of charge, and you will find yourself in an extremely unpleasant situation. Not so long ago, a novelty was presented in the USA - an updated model of the Nissan Leaf. The car has become not only more beautiful in appearance, but also received new equipment. In particular, more powerful and durable batteries, a better and more efficient electric motor. The interior has also changed, which has become modern and comfortable to use.
Nissan Leaf 1 generation turned out to be one of the most popular electric vehicles in the world. It is bought with great pleasure in the USA, Australia, Northern Europe. Used cars get to the CIS countries already, but even in this condition they delight owners with a reliable and high-quality trip. The cost savings are especially noticeable if you operate the car on city trips, driving about 50-70 kilometers a day. Even on the first generation Leaf, you only have to charge the battery once every 2 days. What will the new Leaf 2, which is already actively sold in America, offer us? The corporation had no right to oversight, since the market for electric cars is very competitive today. At a minimum, it is worth remembering the Tesla Model 3, VW E-Golf, Ford Focus Electric and other very powerful competitors. But a detailed review of the second generation of the Leaf suggests that the company did not blunder.
Exterior and interior - important changes in the electric car
The machine received a very pleasant and quite adequate appearance with modern features. Many refused to buy the first generation Leaf because of its rather strange appearance. But the second generation received classic Nissan features, a sporty bright style, interesting exterior details that make the car cute and fashionable. The Leaf can hardly be called a laggard in the world of electric vehicles. Here are just some of the design features that will become important to the buyer:
- the optics have acquired normal outlines, the car no longer looks like an alien insect, it can easily fit into the stream and disguise itself as a regular C-class hatchback;
- a stylish black insert on the tailgate flows into the fenders and creates a special recognizable style, the body lines are smooth, but clearer and sportier than its predecessor;
- the interior is also more like modern cars with gasoline and diesel engines, only the gear selector resembles a spacecraft control panel;
- in terms of control in the interior, everything is rather ascetic and familiar, only the huge number of buttons confuses, which Japanese auto manufacturers cannot refuse;
- upon closer acquaintance, you understand that the Leaf is gradually becoming a gadget, there are a lot of electronic gadgets tied to the display in the center console of the car.
Perhaps someone will consider the new Leaf too ascetic, as for a super-modern electric car. But the era has passed when an electric car should be a curiosity. It's time for him to become quite an ordinary vehicle for comfortable daily use. This machine is able to please with its parameters of landing comfort, ease of control, efficient use of charging. And appearance has become another important advantage of the car, which in the first generation was a rather controversial statement.
Efficiency and technical parameters of the new Leaf
The standard battery received a power of 40 kW / h. This is much more than its predecessor. By European standards, this car can travel 378 km. American parameters are calculated differently, and in the USA the mileage on one charge is 240 km. But this is not the limit for an inexpensive electric car. The company promises a 60 kWh enhanced battery that will carry an electric car up to 400 km on a single charge. It is also important to note the following features according to the characteristics:
- the power of the electric motor has increased, now this parameter is 150 horsepower, the peak torque has also increased, which today is an impressive 340 N * m;
- up to 100 km / h, the new Nissan Leaf accelerates in 7.4 seconds, this is a very good result, given all the data of competitors, and for gasoline cars this is the acceleration speed of sports versions;
- up to 80% can be recharged from a home outlet in 8 hours, a high-speed charging station does this very job in 40 minutes, which greatly simplifies operation;
- ride comfort has increased significantly, engineers have worked out a too soft suspension, now it is more convenient to drive a car over bumps, there is no lethargy and rolliness in motion;
- you'll also enjoy trail riding more than the first gen Leaf, as the car has a firmer grip and handles the various challenges of the track just fine.
The company tried to create not just another incarnation of an electric car, but to remove all the shortcomings and problems of the old model. By the way, the first generation of Leaf sold a total circulation of about 300,000 copies. This is an unprecedented success that helps the company develop new technologies and make electric vehicles better. This model will be refined annually, the company has certain plans to improve the project even before the next change in generation. So the machine turned out to be very interesting.
Features and equipment Leaf 2 - what's new in the car?
Almost everything is new here. But some additions cause really amazing emotions. Many features that were only partially implemented in the previous generation gained completely unexpected momentum in the new generation. The developers have come up with many solutions that are usually available in more expensive vehicles. Before buying a car, it is worth studying the latest technological innovations. Here are just a few of them:
- the ProPILOT function is essentially an autopilot for traffic jams or a track, it is an active cruise control that keeps the car in the lane and keeps a distance from other cars;
- one of the important features of autonomous control is an independent set of speed after the obstacle has been removed, that is, you get an almost full-fledged autopilot;
- the ProPILOT Park assistant is a new parallel parking system that works much better than the systems of many other manufacturers, the car will not damage itself and other vehicles;
- e-Pedal system - a smart pedal, when pressed, it accelerates, and when released, the car slows down, that is, you can control the Leaf 2 with one pedal, not two;
- hold on a slope - the same e-Pedal, when fully released, automatically turns on the hill start assist function, which will help novice drivers avoid collisions;
- the equipment is incredible, the car has everything that you can think of for comfortable operation, the equipment is quite high quality, and there are not so many versions of the car.
The company did not follow the path of some competitors and inflate the number of trim levels and equipment options. A simple price list allows you to quickly choose which Nissan option will be more acceptable to you. But in Russia, many people are still afraid of buying an electric car. And this is reasonable, since there are not yet many charging stations, there are no good roads, and the distances for intercity travel in Russia are too long for electric transport.
Prices and competitors are the main barriers to Nissan sales
Almost all countries today have government subsidies and discounts when buying electric cars. The base price of the most affordable version of the Nissan Leaf 2 is $29,900, regardless of the country of sale. Further, customs duties, VAT and other nuances are added to this cost. True, when selling an electric car in Russia, Nissan can leave the price tag at 29,900. In the US, the discounted price is from $ 22,100, and in Britain - from 19,000 pounds. In Germany, an electric car will cost 20,000 euros. In Russia, such discounts are not yet provided.
As for competitors, the Japanese electric car also has enough of them:
- Tesla Model 3. American budget electric car with a price tag in the region of $ 30,000 without subsidies. The car is equipped with a 258 horsepower engine and travels about 350 km without recharging, which is quite good for this class.
- Volkswagen E Golf. A new generation of electric vehicles is in development. The car travels 190 km on a single charge, offers a range of power modes, including ECO, SPORT and other driver-friendly options.
- Ford Focus Electric. By European standards, it travels up to 190 km on a single charge, has a powerful 143-horsepower motor, accelerates well and is equipped with important systems for the efficiency of using an electric charge.
- Renault Zoe. Another European electric car that has received excellent performance. The car travels up to 200 km on a single charge, has a small and economical electric motor with 88 horsepower. The car is small and great for the city.
As you can see, there are not so few options for electric vehicles today. Cars with modern characteristics are quite adequate in value. On average, the price tag of a new electric car is around $30,000. Premium options are more expensive - from $50,000. Nissan covers both categories and is a competitor to almost every electric fuel vehicle on the market. To date, Leaf 2 is one of the best offers in terms of price and quality.
We offer you to watch a video with an overview of this car:
Summing up
The relatively high cost and rather high dependence on electricity sources and compact chargers make electric vehicles in Russia more of a toy than a real alternative transport. However, we can already say that this area is developing. New vehicles are gradually appearing in showrooms, dealers are trying to bring their electric cars faster than competitors. Many Russians managed to bring used cars with a good supply of resources during the zero duties on electric cars. This opened the doors for our man in the world of modern automotive technology.
There is definitely interest in the new generation Leaf, but so far this interest is purely technical. We are interested to know how much this car can travel on a single charge, how long it takes to fully restore the charge. So far, many Russians do not even dream of actually buying a Leaf 2. The problem is not only that the car is not officially sold in showrooms yet, but also that it will cost us at least $ 30,000. Unfortunately, the government is not up to subsidies for electric vehicles. In the meantime, even post-Soviet countries with a lower standard of living than in the Russian Federation are introducing zero duties and various discounts on vehicles with an electric motor. What do you think, does the Nissan Leaf 2 have a future in the Russian market?
The popularity of electric cars in Ukraine is growing every year and is based mainly on the purchase of used electric cars, since new electric cars are still quite expensive for our consumers and are practically not officially presented.
The 24 kWh electric vehicle battery consists of 192 cells interconnected in pairs, assembled into 48 modules, the state of each pair is subjected to diagnostics, which can be carried out using the program and, in case of damage to individual elements, replace them separately without buying the entire battery.
To assess the degree of battery degradation when choosing an electric car, you should pay attention to the "capacity indicators" located on the dashboard. If the electric car has a new battery, it will show 12 bar, if the battery is worn out, the indication will be at the level of 9-10 bar. We note that a used Nissan Leaf can show 12 bar even with a loss of the original 100% volume, that is, for a used electric car with 87% battery capacity, the indication will still be 12 bar, but if you see a mark of 9 bar, this means that the battery retains about 70% capacity.
First generation Nissan Leaf cutaway © newsroom.nissan-europe.com
You should also take into account the features of the operation of the Nissan Leaf battery in the winter, when it loses the most capacity (about 30%) due to its design features. In such conditions, it is important to follow a few simple rules for maintaining the power reserve of an electric vehicle, which will not only help to be on the move longer, but also significantly reduce the rate of battery degradation. You can read in detail about all the nuances of winter operation of batteries.
Nissan Leaf buyers the first generation, it is worth remembering that in addition to the main battery pack that produces a voltage of 400 volts, an electric car also has a small 12-volt battery under the hood of an electric car. This small battery powers the charger, motor and inverter. It also supplies energy to electronics: all electric heating, headlights, multimedia and interior lighting. This feature of an electric car should be taken into account when buying it and especially when transporting it for a long time, since it is impossible to allow this battery to be completely discharged, since it is impossible to start the car without it. Also, the main battery should not be completely discharged - this factor most negatively affects its working qualities.
Charging the battery of the first generation Nissan Leaf
The electric car is equipped with two battery charging ports: SAE J1772 Type 1 for AC and CHAdeMO for DC fast charging. In the first two years of production, the CHAdeMO fast charging charging port was only available in selected versions, since 2013 it was an optional extra or it was the default base depending on the chosen configuration. So if you're interested in early EVs, make sure you have both connectors under the cover on the front bumper.
Early Nissan Leaf models (2010-2013) were equipped with 3.3 kW on-board chargers (charging time 8 hours). For some modifications of this period, more powerful chargers of 6.6 kW (charging time 6 hours) were available, which since 2014 have become basic for all models.
First generation Nissan Leaf charging ports: on the left is CHAdeMO (up to 50 kW), on the right is SAE J1772 Type 1 © site
I must add that with the cable connected to the charging station, even if it is not energized, you will never be able to move, as the car simply will not turn on in the “ready to drive” mode.
The electric vehicle has a charge timer that only works when the electric vehicle is connected to the grid. With its use, you can achieve significant savings, for example, by setting the start of charging at a certain time if your meter is connected to a nightly rate, or by setting the timer to constantly charge when connected and before the set shutdown time (upon arrival from work and before 7 am).
Driving modes of the first generation Nissan Leaf
For those who are going to buy a used Nissan Leaf, especially if it will be your first electric car, you need to explain the features of driving an electric car.
The electric car has five modes:
- Parking "P"
- Reverse "R"
- Normal driving "D"
- Mode B on SV/SL or ECO on S
- Neutral "N"
When operating, you need to be careful and remember that in no case should an electric car be pulled, pushed or towed in the off state when its front wheels are spinning - this can lead to a burnout of the inverter.
Turning on ECO mode reduces the intensity of heating and ventilation, the responsiveness of the accelerator pedal becomes less harsh.
The "B" mode enhances the regenerative capabilities of the electric car, when the accelerator pedal is released, the electric car gradually reduces speed until it comes to a complete stop. We note that in models after 2013, the “B” and ECO modes work separately.
The nuances of servicing Nissan Leaf 2010-2017
The first generation Nissan Leaf, like most electric vehicles, does not require traditional fuel car maintenance (oil changes, consumables, etc.). However, there are a number of details that periodically require replacement or inspection, and the person who decides to buy a used Leaf should be aware of and consider them. Replacement or condition monitoring will sooner or later require:
- wiper blades;
- power windows;
- air conditioning system;
- tires;
- engine coolant;
- console buttons and touchpads;
- electric parking brake (on early 2011-12 models).
Differences of the first generation Nissan Leaf lineup
As for the first generation lineup, over the course of 7 years of production, visually, the Nissan Leaf practically did not change externally, but inside it had quite a few changes that would help its potential buyer better understand what year electric car it is dealing with.
The model range of the first generation Nissan Leaf looks the same © newsroom.nissan-europe.com
The first thing you need to know when buying a used electric car is that the 2011-2012 Nissan Leaf was produced in Japan and differed from the 2013-2017 American and English-made Leaf. In the first two years, it had a charging port built in between the two rear wheels, the location of which reduced the volume of the cargo hold. Subsequently, it was moved under the hood, significantly and for the better changing the layout of the trunk.
Nissan Leaf 2010-12
Electric vehicles of this period have the following equipment:
- EM61 series AC synchronous electric motor, located on the front axle with a power of 107 hp. and a torque of 280 Nm.
- A block of lithium-ion batteries with a capacity of 24 kWh placed in the floor of the car. The battery consists of 48 modules and is the heaviest part of the car. Its low location gives the electric car better handling. The manufacturer guarantees the preservation of battery capacity at the level of 70-80% for 8 years of operation.
- Two battery charging ports: SAE J1772 for AC and CHAdeMO for DC fast charging (optional on selected versions).
- A 3.3 kW on-board charger that charges the battery from a domestic household mains supply in approximately 8 hours.
- Front airbags for the driver, front passenger and side airbags. There are also airbags built into the roof.
- System of course stability ABS.
- Pedestrian warning system VSP (working at low speeds up to 30 km / h).
- A solar battery on the spoiler to power some elements of the on-board electronics (it migrated to all subsequent modifications of the model).
- The range of the Nissan Leaf of this production period is 175 km on the European NEDC cycle or 117 km on the US EPA cycle, which is noticeably reduced depending on driving style, ambient temperature and the use of climate systems.
- The interior of the car is designed for five passengers, the trunk volume is 330 liters and can be increased to 680, but its shape will not allow you to carry large items.
Nissan Leaf 2013-2015
An updated version of the first generation Nissan Leaf was released in 2013, the car became cheaper and received several evolutionary changes.
- A fully integrated power drive that combined the EM57 series charging module, inverter and electric motor for the first time. Since the 2013 model year, all this is in a single block. The engine did not change the power figures, but reduced the peak torque slightly for a smoother start.
- The charger was moved from the rear of the car, which significantly increased the volume of the trunk to 370 liters. In addition, the car has become more practical, now there is no longer an obstacle in the center of the floor of the luggage compartment that prevents folding the rear seats, which also have a changed shape of the pillows and now the feet can be under the front seats.
- New i-Key smart key that opens and closes the charging module and charging cable lock.
- The front seats are height adjustable.
- 4.3" display on S package and 7" monitor on SL/SV versions.
- The new bio-fabric for all seats is made entirely from sugarcane, making it even more sustainable and more recyclable. Optionally, there was a leather trim and a more practical dark version of the fabric trim.
- There was an LED backlight in the zone for connecting chargers.
- In the heating and ventilation system, the ceramic heater was replaced with a heat gun. This reduced energy consumption and significantly increased the range in real-life conditions.
- In order to reduce rolls and increase maneuverability, the stiffness of the shock absorbers has increased.
- The transmission settings have been changed, which made it possible to increase the amount of recuperated energy.
- There is a new BOSE stereo system - more efficient in terms of energy consumption.
- An updated package of the Nissan Carwings navigation system has been installed with expanded functionality and the ability to remotely control certain functions of the electric car using mobile applications.
- A surround view system has appeared, which, using several cameras, generates a “top view” of an electric car and displays it on the central display, making it easier to park traffic in limited conditions.
- There are new wheels: 16-inch steel with full-size decorative caps in the basic version and alloy wheels in the SL package. In the maximum version of the SV, disks of the 17th radius became available.
The electric car received three trim levels: S, SL and SV. The only change in appearance was a redesign of the front air intake grille, which reduced the drag coefficient to 0.28 and improved the range, which for cars of this production period is certified 200 km on the NEDC cycle and 135 km on the EPA cycle.
Nissan Leaf 2016-2017
In 2016, the last update of the first generation Nissan Leaf lineup took place. The key change was the installation of a new 30 kWh battery on the SL and SV models, while the 24 kWh battery was left in the base models of the S version. All 30 kWh Nissan Leafs were produced at the Nissan plant in Sunderland, England.
The new 30 kWh battery has the same dimensions as the 24 kWh battery and a slightly larger (21 kg) weight. The increase in capacity was achieved thanks to an innovative design and optimization of chemical reactions. With the new 30 kWh battery, the range of the electric vehicle has increased to 250 km on the NEDC cycle or 172 km on the EPA cycle.
Other important changes in the equipment of the electric car include:
- The Nissan Connect EV navigation system replaced the previous Carwings.
- There are maps of the location of charging stations.
- Maintenance warning function.
- Electric vehicle search function.
- 7-inch display with the ability to change the size of the map and scroll through the menu with a touch.
- New roof antenna design, new headlight and taillight pattern.
- Additional body color - Bronze.
Salon Nissan Leaf first generation
We buy a used Nissan Leaf of the first generation!
Buying a used electric car is always associated with certain problems, but in the case of the first generation Nissan Leaf, everything is less transparent, and if you carry out a technical inspection of the car correctly, you can buy a reliable, economical and practical electric car for everyday use in the city.
The main thing at buying a used Leaf find out how its current value was formed (what factors influenced the too low or high price), what condition it is in and under what conditions it was used, where you will charge it and whether you can change or repair the battery in case of its significant degradation according to the possible salon or even manufacturer warranties.
The owner of the year 2015, who drove the electric car for exactly a year, shared his impressions.
After a year of driving an electric car, I realized that driving it is much more pleasant than driving a gas car. Like most people, before buying an electric car, I had doubts. I thought about battery capacity, range, charging capability, cost of the car, cold weather, hot weather performance, depreciation, and other factors.
After a year of riding the Leaf, I had cast aside all my doubts. Every morning I get in my car and drive to work. Every evening I do the same to return home. That's what I've done for years on petrol cars. The only difference is 10 seconds - 5 to unplug the car from charging in the morning and 5 to plug it in in the evening.
The Leaf handles much better than the 2004 Toyota Corolla I've driven before. Of course, many of the advantages have come at the expense of general progress. Back-up camera, center navigation screen, heated seats and steering wheel, dimming mirrors, Bluetooth and USB connectivity used to be a dream come true. However, the Leaf is also good from a driving point of view.
He is incredibly quiet. You don't hear any starter noise or engine sounds when revving or decelerating. The electric motor produces a pleasant quiet rumble. When accelerating or decelerating, its tone rises or falls slightly, but is much quieter than in gasoline or hybrid cars.
However, there are also disappointments. Even though you're buying a new, modern car, you don't get modern helpers like radar-based cruise control, automatic emergency braking, or lane-keep control.
Difficult to use trunk. At first, in order to remove its cover, I had to take it out through the back door. Then I was told that there is a slightly more convenient way, but still using the luggage compartment remains a problem.
You don't even have to turn on the driving app. For example, it takes a whole minute to turn on climate control with it.
However, I am happy with the purchase. I am jealous of my wife who drives her petrol car to the gas station at least once a week, while I just connect the charging station. The ChargePoint Home 25 I bought charges the car for 40 kilometers in an hour, which is enough for a trip to and from work. There are fast charging stations on highways, but after a long drive (1,600 km), I realized that the Nissan Leaf is still better suited for city driving. For long trips, you need to choose a hybrid with a good range.
It would be good with its range of 380 kilometers, but there are not enough fast charging stations for it yet.
As for the energy efficiency of the latest Nissan Leaf, it ranges from 6.76 kilometers per kilowatt/hour in June to 4.67 kilometers per kilowatt/hour in December. A year of operation has shown that the efficiency is 27% higher than the declared 5.31 kilometers per kilowatt / hour.
An analysis of payments on my card showed that I spent an average of $ 68 per month on fuel on a gasoline car. Electricity bills after buying an electric car increased by $47 per month. So, despite the rather high cost of electricity in our area, there are some savings here, which should be added to the savings on the cost of the car. Thanks to various levels of subsidies, I bought a car for only $16,000.
And if it weren't for the restrictions!... Due to the lack of charging stations, I still can't drive a Nissan Leaf 2015 to my sister in New Hampshire. The path there must be laid in such a way as to charge at the station that appeared only in the southern part of the state. So for long distances we are forced to travel in the wife's car.
