2020 Nissan Leaf Plus: Going farther and quicker than before

Unlike the base Nissan Leaf, the Plus model packs a bigger 62-kilowatt-hour battery pack. 

One of the most noteworthy improvements is the Leaf Plus getting an increased EPA-estimated driving range of 226 miles per charge on the base S trim level. 

The SV and SL versions of the Plus get a slightly lower EPA-estimated driving range of 215 miles due to having additional features.

The pumped-up driving range figures represent a nice increase from the base Leaf's 149-mile rating.

In addition to the additional range, the Leaf Plus is more powerful, with 214 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. That's up from 147 horsepower and 236 pound-feet in the regular Leaf.

According to Nissan, the Leaf Plus hits 60 mph in about 7 seconds. 

The only visual changes separating the Leaf Plus from the Leaf is the addition of blue trim on the front fascia and a Plus badge on the hatch door. 

All Nissan Leaf models come standard with forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert with rear automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning and auto high-beam headlights.

A NissanConnect system handles infotainment with an 8-inch touchscreen featuring Bluetooth, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Onboard navigation is available on upper trim levels. 

The 2020 Nissan Leaf Plus starts at $39,125, including $925 for destination.