Nissan has announced two versions of its popular Leaf – the 3.Zero and the 3.Zero e+. The latter will feature a higher output and increased driving range. The 3.Zero will include Nissan’s 40kWh battery, while the e+ will feature a 62kWh battery, capable of delivering 217ps and 340Nm of torque, and resulting in a claimed driving range of 239 miles (385km) from a single charge.
The new higher-power battery contains 288 cells compared to the 192 found in the 40kWh equivalent. Even with a 25% increase in energy density and 55% increase in energy storage capacity, the e+ battery pack is almost the same size and configuration as the pack in the 40kWh Leaf. Other than a 5mm increase in the car’s overall height (based on 16in wheels), the car’s exterior and interior dimensions are unchanged.
With the more powerful motor, acceleration from 50mph to 75mph (80km/h to 120km/h) is nearly 13% quicker. The 97mph top speed (156km/h) has also increased from the 40kWh version by approximately 10%.
“The Nissan Leaf 3.Zero e+ Limited Edition broadens the appeal of the Leaf family even further, adding more range to an award-winning package that remains great to drive and live with,” said Gareth Dunsmore, director, electric vehicles and connected services, Nissan Europe.
“Since we launched the new Nissan Leaf last year, the customer response has been outstanding. In an EV market that is constantly growing, sustaining the Leaf’s status as the most popular EV in Europe in 2018 is a testament to the strength of the product. We hope the 3.Zero models will help continuing this extraordinary growth in 2019.”
