Nissan Leaf launches at under €37,000

Following the start of orders before the end of the year, the first models are expected to be delivered to customers before the end of winter, as Nissan Germany Managing Director Vincent Ricoux told journalists at the driving event in Copenhagen. When asked, he specified that this meant the first quarter.

At the world premiere of the third-generation Leaf in mid-June, Nissan had spoken of orders starting in autumn, but now it says it will be in 2025. Nissan did not give any reasons for the slight delay, but in mid-September, there were reports of a battery shortage in Japan, which meant that production at the Tochigi plant had to be cut back – including that of the new Leaf. Although Japan only supplies the local market and the US, the Leaf for Europe will continue to be built in Sunderland, UK, with locally produced batteries. However, if the planned market launch sequence is to be adhered to, the delay in Japan could also affect the European launch.

Let’s move on to what we do know: while there was talk of a range of 604 kilometres for the large battery at the world premiere, the final WLTP homologation has now reached 622 kilometres. With the 75 kWh battery, the Leaf will be available in Germany at prices below €42,000, as Ricoux has now confirmed – most likely at €41,990.

The Leaf with the 52 kWh battery will be available for €5,000 less, starting at prices below €37,000. At the event in Copenhagen, Nissan spoke of a range of ‘over 440 kilometres’, whereas at the world premiere, it was specifically 436 kilometres; however, the final WLTP value for this variant is not yet available. Incidentally, Nissan not only quotes the WLTP values for the Leaf, but also the real-world range at motorway speeds from test drives: “At a constant motorway speed of 130 kph, the Nissan Leaf with a 75 kWh battery can travel up to 330 kilometres on a single charge, and at 110 kph, the range is even up to 430 kilometres,” according to the manufacturer.

With the large battery, the electric motor on the front axle delivers 160 kW; with the small battery, it is 130 kW. An all-wheel-drive version like the Ariya is technically possible, but not yet confirmed. This means that the Leaf can reach a maximum speed of 160 kph with both battery sizes. The more powerful version sprints from 0 to 100 kph in 7.6 seconds, while the factory specification for the smaller battery is 8.3 seconds. WLTP consumption is expected to be 13.8 kWh/100 km in both cases.

Nissan will not publish the exact price lists for the new Leaf until shortly before orders open. The exact equipment specifications and optional extras are therefore not yet known. It is also not yet clear whether the €5,000 price difference is solely due to the larger battery or whether the Leaf with the 75 kWh battery will only be available with higher-quality equipment as standard. At the event in Copenhagen, Nissan representatives confirmed that some features, such as the light bar at the front and the dimmable glass roof, which are always visible in the press photos, are not part of the basic equipment – so the Leaf will look slightly different here and will also ‘only’ have 18-inch wheels instead of the 19-inch wheels shown in the press photos.

While the first two generations of the Leaf were designed as compact cars and were still lone wolves, the third edition has become a compact crossover and is based on Renault-Nissan’s AmpR Medium (previously called the CMF-EV platform). However, Nissan emphasises that the Leaf’s technology has been further developed compared to the manufacturer’s first model on this platform, the Ariya – for example, in terms of the battery and motor. Thanks to the improved energy density of the NMC cells, Nissan has been able to install a 75 kWh battery in the Leaf, while the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric, which is also based on the AmpR Medium and has a 2.69 metre wheelbase like the new Leaf, is offered with a maximum energy content of 60 kWh.

Source: electrive reporter on location, nissannews.com (in German)

This article was first published by Sebastian Schaal for electrive’s German edition