Long range Nissan Leaf e+ to cost £35,895 in the UK
The Nissan Leaf e+, which offers a 239-mile range, is now a permanent fixture following a strong customer response
Nissan has announced that its all-electric Leaf e+ is now a permanent member of the range, following its runaway success in its first month on sale. Originally released as the limited edition Leaf e+ 3.ZERO, the new model is available to order now in range-topping Tekna trim only. Prices start from £35,895, including the £3,500 government grant.
The Leaf e+ gets a denser battery pack than the standard car, with capacity increased from 40kWh to 62kWh. Nissan claims the size increase gives a longer range, up from 168 miles to 239 miles under the latest WLTP test. The new battery pack is also slightly larger than the standard model’s, meaning the Leaf e+ rides 5mm taller than the regular car.
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Nissan’s Leaf e+ also gets a new electric motor. Peak power is now 160kW, (the equivalent of 215bhp), while torque climbs to 340Nm. The increase in performance allows a 0–62mph sprint of 7.3 seconds and a top speed of 98mph; roughly 10 per cent quicker than the lower-capacity Leaf.
With a larger battery on board, Nissan has also improved the rate at which the Leaf e+ can be charged. The new 70kW quick charging system is compatible with 100kW chargers; Nissan says that buyers can expect a similar 40-minute recharge to 80 per cent, as is the case when the regular Leaf is plugged into a 50kW charger.
Elsewhere, the Leaf e+ receives Nissan’s latest ProPILOT driver assistance technology, a BOSE seven-speaker stereo system and a larger eight-inch colour touchscreen display with updated sat nav as standard. On the outside, revisions are limited to e+ badging and a new front fascia with blue highlights.
Optional extras include pearlescent paint (priced at £745), a spare wheel (for £195) and Nissan's ProPILOT Park system (costing £1,090), which can automatically position the Leaf in either a parrallel or end-on space at the push of a button.
Within 24 hours of the limited edition Leaf e+ 3.ZERO's reveal at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in January, 1,282 orders were taken from the initial 5,000 cars allocated for the European market, forcing Nissan to push the Leaf e+ into mainstream production. First deliveries are expected to arrive in the summer.
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