NISSAN LEAF
The world’s most popular Electric Vehicle – a landmark for alternatively fuelled cars.
At the beginning of the decade Nissan launched a car that would begin to change the world. Fast-forward to 2018, and the Nissan Leaf is the world’s best-selling electric car – more than 320,000 of them are now on the road, with more than 100,000 finding homes in the UK alone. In 2011 it won the titles of European and World Car of the Year.
The Leaf is now into its second generation and has built its incredible success on delivering a comfortable and simple EV experience. Its 40KWH ‘engine’ has a range of 168-miles and a power output of 148bhp, so the Leaf fulfils the need of many consumers and as a result, many Synergy lease customers too. Charging from 20 to 80% takes around an hour using a 50kw charger, meaning longer journeys don’t require extended breaks and with a home-charger installed, the battery can be fully topped-up in 7.5-hours – making it perfect for overnight recharging. The Leaf can even accelerate to 62mph in 7.9-seconds, pretty close to hot-hatch levels of pace.
A five-door, five-seat hatchback, the Nissan Leaf takes the form of a normal car in the same category as a Ford Focus or a Volkswagen Golf. Space in the rear is good for adults and children, with plenty of leg and head room, and the boot is practical too with an impressive 435-litres of capacity. Nissan has worked hard to deliver a car that feels very familiar to drivers and passengers, with the only difference being the absence of a combustion engine.
Equipment levels are generous and also encompass familiar features such as climate control, cruise control, navigation, and heated seats. Nissan’s ‘ProPilot’ system also appears on ‘N-Connecta’ models and above, a collection of aids that accelerates and brakes for you as well as keeping you in lane, making it incredibly useful in traffic. There’s also assistance on hand for parking and several safety features. The Leaf scored 5-stars in Euro NCAP crash testing and features blind-spot monitoring as well as autonomous emergency braking, so it’s also right at the top of the class for safety.
On average, one Nissan Leaf is now sold every 10 minutes, a sign of just how far electric cars have come and a testament to its quality. They make for fabulous value on business and personal lease agreements and research suggests Leaf customers are some of the happiest on the road. If this is the future, the future looks very bright indeed.