New Nissan Leaf powertrain option offers expanded range and power

(January 10, 2019) LAS VEGAS — Nissan has unveiled the Nissan Leaf e+, further broadening the appeal of the world's best-selling electric car by offering a new powertrain with additional power and range. The "e+" refers to the increased energy density of the model's 62 kWh battery pack and the higher output of its powertrain.

The new powertrain adds to the car's range by approximately 40 percent, with EPA-estimated range of up to 226 miles, ensuring that there's a Nissan Leaf to meet the driving needs of a wider range of customers.

"The new Nissan Leaf e+ offers all of the style, convenience and electric vehicle benefits that have helped make Leaf the best-selling electric vehicle in the world, plus even more driving excitement, range, power and choice," said Denis Le Vot, senior vice president and chairman, Nissan North America. "Customers now have a selection of powertrains and models to best suit their driving needs."

The Leaf e+ will be sold under the Leaf PLUS Series in the U.S. and Canada, with each trim level receiving its own designation of S PLUS, SV PLUS and SL PLUS. Globally, the vehicle will be referred to as the Nissan Leaf e+.

More than 380,000 Nissan Leaf vehicles have been sold globally since the 100 percent electric model first went on sale in 2010, with over 128,000 sold in the U.S. Equipped with advanced technologies including ProPILOT Assist semi-autonomous driving system and e-Pedal mode for one-pedal driving, the Leaf embodies Nissan Intelligent Mobility, the company's vision for changing how cars are powered, driven and integrated into society.



"Nissan Intelligent Mobility is at the core of everything we do and the new Nissan Leaf e+ takes this vision even further," Le Vot continued. "EV's will play a significant part in our product lineup as we move forward and will lead the way to providing an efficient and sustainable future for the world."

Having pioneered mass-market electric cars with the Leaf, Nissan is continuing to promote alternative vehicle transportation. The Leaf family of cars play a vital role in Nissan's efforts to integrate electric vehicles and energy systems into customer's lives — creating an "EV ecosystem." Among these efforts is Nissan Energy, the company's initiative for its electric vehicles to easily connect with energy systems to charge their batteries, power homes and businesses, or feed energy back to power grids, as well as new efforts to reuse batteries.

The Nissan Leaf PLUS Series is scheduled to join the Leaf at Nissan dealerships in Japan in January. U.S. sales are expected to begin this spring and European sales to commence in mid-2019.

The Nissan Leaf e+ represents a step forward in each of the three key areas of the Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision: Intelligent Power, Intelligent Driving and Intelligent Integration.

The Nissan Leaf e+ features a new version of the Leaf's revolutionary electric powertrain, delivering excellent energy efficiency and robust torque and power output. While the current Leaf meets the needs of many customers with its driving range of EPA-estimated 150 miles, the Leaf e+ offers an EPA-estimated range of up to 226 miles, allowing customers the ability to do more between charges.

The high-capacity battery and more powerful, 160 kW motor in the Leaf e+ combine to produce 45 percent more power and 250 lb-ft (340 Nm) of torque, enabling faster acceleration when driving at high speeds. Accelerating from 50 mph to 75 mph is nearly 13 percent quicker. This allows the Leaf e+ to confidently pass slower-moving vehicles, exit corners faster and more seamlessly, and merge easily with fast-moving traffic. The top speed has increased by approximately 10 percent for comfortable cruising.

Thanks to the available new 70 kW (100 kW peak) Quick Charging system, the 2019 Nissan Leaf e+ can charge more efficiently than ever. Based on early testing, Nissan Leaf e+ owners can expect similar charging times when hooked up to a 100 kW charger as current Leaf owners do with a 50 kW charger, despite a 55 percent larger battery storage capacity.

Even with a 25 percent increase in energy density and the increase in energy storage capacity, the Leaf e+ battery pack is almost the same size and configuration as the pack in the Nissan Leaf. Other than a 5-millimeter increase in overall height (16-inch wheels), the car's exterior and interior dimensions are unchanged.

Because ownership satisfaction and peace of mind are pivotal for all Nissan Leaf owners, the battery limited warranty of 8 years/160,000 km (whichever occurs first) is standard for all versions.