For those not familiar, the vehicle will keep you in your lane and at a safe distance from the car ahead. Autonomy is rapidly becoming an automotive buzzword, but it’s important to note that these systems are still very hands-on. Much like other driverless systems, Nissan’s ProPilot Assist is a great tool for getting through long road trips but far from perfect. Sure, some apartment complexes are adding fast charging points, but they remain few and far between. Without access to a permanent set-it-and-forget-it solution, the lack of a rapid and easy way to add range becomes a much more critical issue. Having said that, I’d wager that buyers will most likely use the 110-volt trickle charger or 220-volt wall unit to plug in overnight at home-a luxury that isn’t widely available to many apartment dwellers like myself. During my weekly trip to the grocery store, with a stop at Chipotle-a journey of roughly 35 miles-I had the vehicle plugged in for the better part of an hour and a half to top up the batteries, which was good for an additional 20 miles of range. However, the lack of fast-charging points means the slower 6.6-kW system is still no match for the convenience of gas stations. Thankfully, the Leaf slots into the existing Charge Point stations, of which there are plenty here in eastern Pennsylvania. When it comes time to top up the batteries, it’s clear that electric technology is still miles ahead of the infrastructure.
2021 NISSAN LEAF MANUAL
Even for someone like me who owns a manual Volkswagen Golf GTI, the Leaf’s punchy mid-range acceleration never failed to put a smile on my face when merging onto the highway and shooting gaps around the city. It truly shined from 30-50 mph, where the zing from the electric motor properly puts you in the back of your seat. Compared to others in its category, the Volkswagen ID.4 is slowest to 60 mph at 7.6 seconds, followed by the Kia Niro at 6.2 seconds, and the base Tesla Model 3 at 5.3 seconds. However, thanks to the single 160-kW motor driving the front wheels and eco-friendly tires–215/50R17 Michelin Energy Savers–that favor rolling resistance over performance, the Leaf puts down a conservative 0-60 mph at 6.7 seconds. Electric motors offer up instant torque at low speed, which generally equates to blistering 0-60 times. Modern EVs are often considered the benchmark when it comes to acceleration. Throughout my testing, I took Nissan’s EV through everything from wide-open highways to the backroads and tight city streets surrounding the Popular Mechanics office in Easton, Pennsylvania. With five days to put the Leaf through its paces, I had plenty of time to get a feel for its quirks and idiosyncrasies while using it for my everyday driving. The question remains if the improvements to the latest model are sufficient to keep up with that ever-growing competition. Setting the stage as an affordable electric vehicle that people actually wanted to buy, the Leaf persuaded other automakers to wade further into the EV waters. Coming into the 2010 market with a starting MSRP of $32,780-$25,280 with the EV tax credit-it was propelled by a 23-kilowatt-hour battery that promised 100 miles of range. MPGe: 111 combined, 123 highway, 99 cityĭespite Tesla’s current domination of the EV marketplace, it’s important to mention that Nissan built the first affordable electric vehicle in 2010–the Leaf.Charge time (150-kW fast charger, zero to 80 percent): 40 minutes.Charge time (home charger, zero to 100 percent): 7.5 hours.
Front Motor: 160 kW AC synchronous electric motor.
2021 NISSAN LEAF PLUS
The cabin is put together really well, with no squeaks or rattles to report.Mid-range acceleration from 30-50 mph is surprisingly crisp.
2021 NISSAN LEAF DRIVER
Nissan’s ProPilot Assist driver aid makes highway journeys much easier.Even with Nissan being the elder statesman, its latest and greatest package can’t compete with any of these vehicles when it comes to range, power, and even charge times. At a price point of $45,930, our big-battery SL Plus test car slots in with other EVs like the base Tesla Model 3, Volkswagen ID.4, and Kia Niro. Despite being an evolution of the first mass-produced EV to rock down electric avenue, the 2021 Nissan Leaf Plus faces some fierce competition.
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