Nissan has released pricing and specification details for the facelifted Nissan Leaf. Now with a new production facility in Sunderland, the Leaf boasts more than 100 changes over the original.
The range has been increased to 124 miles from 109 through improved aerodynamics and a more efficient powertrain, including changes to the Leaf's regenerative braking system. From a 32amp supply with an optional 6.6kw charger, the battery's recharging time has been halved from eight to four hours.
Nissan has also tweaked the styling, raised the luggage capacity, boosted cold weather performance with a new heat pump and retuned the ride and handling.
Nissan's EV is now offered with three trim levels and the option of leasing its batteries. The range now features Visia, Acenta and Tekna models, with the entry-level Visia available from £20,990 after the Government's £5000 plug-in grant has been taken into account. A Leaf Acenta is £23,490 and the Tekna £25,490.
If buyers wish to lease the batteries for a Leaf, the prices fall by £5000, making a Leaf Acenta £15,990. All Leafs bought on a lease package will be 'Flex' models. Battery leasing starts at £70 a month, this figure based on the longest contract length (three years) and the lowest mileage limit of 7500 miles annually. Taking a year off the contract adds £10 a month to the lease price, and upping the mileage limit (offered in intervals up to 15,000 miles per year) also increases the monthly payment. The most expensive battery lease rate is £129 a month, for a 12-month contract and a mileage allowance of 15,000 miles.
The Leaf's batteries are now also protected by an extended warranty. As well as the five-year policy for defective materials or poor workmanship offered previously, the revised Leaf also receives cover for capacity loss for the same period. This allows repair or replacement of a battery which, according to Nissan, 'falls short of what might reasonably be expected'.
British sales of the second-generation Leaf begin in June.
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Electric cars are THAT good!
The Norwegian, petrol funded, non peer-reviewed "study" was severely flawed and biased. Here you can see the serious debunking:
http://llewblog.squarespace.com/electric-cars/2012/10/11/the-truth-will-out.html
In case you wanna quote the famous other non peer-reviewed "study" about the prius vs hummer, that was not even a "study" from a scientific center but from a marketing company, with unknown funders, unknown measuring methods and not reproducable conclusions:
http://www.pacinst.org/topics/integrity_of_science/case_studies/hummer_versus_prius.html
Electric cars are not good!
A study in Norway has found electric cars can be more harmful to the environment than normal combustion cars, all depends on how the electricity is made. They have a great quote at the end of the article below "Everything has emissions, but sometimes they are just further away from the user."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22001356
Enough to silence the critics?
With a cost effective battery leasing option, improved range and warranties. Better handling, revised interior. Wider range of models and lower pricing. Seems Nissan have answered all the criticism of the original model. Whether it is enough to silence the critics and convince people to now buy this now British built vehicle. Time will only tell !