The long-awaited Leaf e+ vehicle can travel more than 200 miles on a full charge - a 40 percent improvement in range - making it one of the farthest-traveling battery-powered vehicles on the market.
It is an updated, long-range version of its predecessor Leaf car, which debuted in 2017. The Leaf e+ is more powerful than its counterpart, with an upgraded 150 kW motor (equivalent of about 200 horsepower) and a 62kWh battery pack that extends the range by some 76 miles.
Nissan’s ProPilot driver assistance technology also features, which handles highway driving as well as parking. Inside includes a larger 8-inch touchscreen display that can be linked to a smartphone and will interface with a Nissan app that will help drivers plan their route.
The Japanese automaker has sold nearly 400,000 EVs globally since the original model debuted in 2010, making Leafs the best selling electric cars in the world. It now faces stiff competition against other electric cars such as the Hyundai Kona, Chevy’s Bolt EV and Tesla’s Model 3.
It will be available this month in Japan for ¥4,162,320 (about $38,300), and will arrive in Europe in “mid-2019,” Nissan says, where it will cost 45,500 euro (about $51,900).