Nissan Leaf

Our drive is over almost as soon as it has begun – and it raises nearly as many questions as it answers. Will the production Leaf really be capable of travelling 100 miles from a single charge? Who will buy it? We won’t have to wait long to find out. Sales start in March, and Nissan says it has buyers for nearly all the cars in the first year of production. From what we have seen of the new model’s performance and driving experience, those customers shouldn’t be disappointed.

The charge down electric avenue starts here… So says Nissan, which is poised to deliver the first examples of its all-new battery-powered Leaf to customers from next March.

The car’s arrival promises to be big news for British drivers. Not only will the plug-in electric model be built in the UK – at Nissan’s Sunderland factory – it should be affordable, too.

First versions are currently being assembled in Japan, and the Leaf is expected to cost a Toyota Prius-rivalling £22,000 (after the Government’s promised £5,000 grant has been applied). It will offer seating for five people, as well as a 100-mile range.

The production-ready model made its European debut at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, but won’t be available to drive for some months yet. So Nissan has brought this early prototype to the UK, to provide a taste of the newcomer’s performance and driving dynamics – even if the styling will have changed by the time it reaches dealers.

Auto Express has already driven a version in Japan, based on the home market Tiida (Issue 1,087), but this model, badged EV-12, is a little further down the road to production. Even though eight laptop-sized battery modules have been added under the rear seats, space inside the cabin is generous. In fact, when you jump behind the wheel there are few clues that this car offers anything out of the ordinary.

Turn the ignition key, though, and you are greeted with silence. There’s no mechanical hum from the electric motor – only a light on the dash to tell you the engine is ready for action. You can select the single forward gear with a switch in the centre console, then it’s simply a case of releasing the brakes and pressing the throttle. Acceleration is progressive and the ride smooth.

After our limited time behind the wheel of the Leaf, we came away with the impression that it felt, well, car like. Its electric motor delivers power in almost exactly the same way as a petrol-engined vehicle, with a noticeable increase in torque as your speed rises. Although this is an early prototype, it points to a bright future for the pioneering Nissan.

Rival: Mitsubishi i-MiEV
Electric city car is already on sale, but it’s pricey at £33,699, even with a grant. Unlike the Leaf, the Mitsubishi is a conversion of a regular petrol model – the i – rather than a dedicated battery-powered
vehicle. And that means inevitable compromises in performance, engineering and technology.