2016 Nissan Leaf Review, Specs, Price and Release Date; Larger Battery Pack Can Go the Distance

By Komfie Manalo
2016 Nissan LEAF
For the 2016 model year, LEAF adds a number of significant enhancements - beginning with a new 30 kWh battery for LEAF SV and LEAF SL models that delivers an EPA-estimated driving range of 107 miles* on a fully charged battery. The range of a LEAF S model is 84 miles, giving buyers a choice in affordability and range. Nissan News

The first Nissan LEAF was released in 2011; the all-electric hatchback received positive reviews from car enthusiasts because of its affordability and easy-to-drive feature for a family car. The car was so popular that Nissan sold more than 200,000 units of the LEAF and customer satisfaction remains high.

However, Nissan customers have been clamoring for the Japanese car maker to release a version of the LEAF with a much larger battery pack to allow them to travel farther when driving the environment-friendly car.

Good news to Nissan customers, the gods at Nissan heard you and announced that the 3rd generation LEAF, the 2016 Nissan LEAF will have a larger battery pack that makes it possible to travel three times the distance.

Nissan said on its official website, "With a larger battery size of 30 kWh on the SV and SL versions, the 2016 Nissan LEAF delivers an available Best-in-Class range of 107 miles per charge (in North America), tripling the distance of the average American's daily commute. But the North American Nissan LEAF S model will be available with smaller 24 kWh battery pack of previous model year LEAFs.

It added that the 2016 Nissan LEAG will be available in eight different colors, including the following three new options: Forged Bronze, Deep Blue Pearl, and Coulis Red.

However, Transport Evolved said that Nissan customers in Europe must pay an extra $2,445 for the model packed with 30 kWh battery as this is not included in the standard models for that region, especially for the LEAF Acenta and LEAF Tekna models.

Transport Evolved said, "On paper the new, larger-capacity 30-kWh battery pack gives the Nissan LEAF a range of 155 miles (250 km) on the famously over-optimistic European NEDC test cycle. Even on the much more realistic EPA test cycle the 30kWh Nissan LEAF scores a very respectable 107 miles (172 km). Nissan is keen to point out this positions the 30kWh variant of the LEAF back in class-leading position, with the nearest rival regarding range being the Renault ZOE in Europe, which is NDEC rated at 149 miles (240 km). In North America, the closest rival in the compact segment is the Kia Soul EV, which offers 93 miles per charge on the EPA test cycle.

"So, with that in mind, we headed to the European launch of the third-generation LEAF (a title we're particularly uncomfortable with since the exterior of the car is essentially the same as the model we first saw in 2011) to put it through its paces.

"Indeed, exterior changes on the 2016 Nissan LEAF are ones that Nissan itself describe as 'subtle,' and the new LEAF is virtually indistinguishable from its older brethren. Perhaps more interestingly, however, under the skin the car is also almost completely unchanged."

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