Nissan made possible the first mass-produced electric car, the Nissan Leaf. But there was one drawback to this pioneering excellence: a range of just 80 miles.
Nissan Leaf Mk2 brought an uptick in range but at 170 miles it wasn’t groundbreaking, and certainly not enough to cope with business requirements for higher mileage drivers.
But now, step forward Nissan Leaf Mk3.
Still built in Nissan’s factory in Tyne & Wear, this coupe-styled SUV newcomer banishes such issues with a range of 375 miles in the extended range 75kWh battery version, or 270 miles with the standard 52kWh battery pack. Clearly, range is no longer an issue.
Neither is filling up the battery. A handy 260 miles can be squirted in within 30 minutes thanks to the ability to take DC fast-charging at a rate of up to 150kW.
Nissan says with such capability, journeys over 500 miles can be completed with a minimal time difference to a standard petrol or diesel car. Combined with the newcomer’s spacious interior, it promises to be both a practical and comfortable choice as the main car, able to knock off the daily commute as well as long-distance business travel.
There’s more, too.
Intelligent battery thermal management ensures fast, consistent charging in a range of temperatures, which now works hand in hand with the Google Maps In-Car Route Planner to automatically set the battery at the optimal temperature when approaching a fast charger, optimising both charging speed and efficiency. The integration with Google Maps also assists planning longer journeys by automatically identifying the most convenient charging stops along the way.
Should your trip be of the camping kind, then the new Nissan Leaf is equipped with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality, so you can charge an external device charging directly from the car, powering a variety of small to medium sized devices – such as kettles, portable lights, or electric grills.
But the acronyms don’t stop there. There’s also Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) compatibility, enabling the car to send stored energy back to the power grid. Nissan says this function will help customers reduce energy costs while supporting a more stable and sustainable energy system.
It all adds up to a super practical, comfortable and easy to drive car with features that overcomes the key barriers to wider EV adoption.
The new Nissan Leaf will be available for order from CBVC in the autumn, before deliveries commences in the spring of 2026.
