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Now it may not generate buzz like a Tesla but if global sales are any indicator, Nissan's Leaf is the king of the affordable EV.
And the auto maker's just pulled the wraps off of the new second generation 2018 Leaf with more power, more tech and even more range, all for less money.
Now the old Leaf was a bit of a cutesy looking goofy car, but the new one actually looks pretty cool.
Beneath that new look is a more energy dense lithium ion battery pack.
40 kilowatt hours.
That is enough to propel the new Leaf to about a range of about 150 miles per charge.
And all of that extra juice flows through a new e motor at the front end that puts about 147 horsepower and 236 pound feet of torque to the front end.
That's a significant gain in both power and torque.
Now you'll control Well all of that extra power through what Nissan calls an e-pedal.
That's Nissan speak for a one foot driving system.
That means when you lift off the acceleration, the Nissan leaves start to slow down immediately due to its enhanced generator breaking system.
We've tested systems similar to these and generally like it.
Drivers will also be aided by Nissan's ProPilot Assist system, that's sort of a combination of an adaptive cruise control system with stop-and-go traffic assist, and a very firm-handed lanekeeping assistance system that keeps the Leaf centered in its lane while driving.
It's a hands-on system, not exactly auto-pilot.
The 2018 Nissan Leaf hits dealers in early 2018, starting at $29,990.
That's 690 bucks cheaper than the current 2017 Nissan Leaf, and you get so much more range.
Tech and everything.
And for the very patient, Nissan has a more capacious Leaf E Plus model in the pipeline for early 2019 with a larger 60 kilowatt hour battery and a range of around 225 miles.
Might be worth waiting for.
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