Share Share The first all-electrics Nissan Leaf is due to go on sale in Japan in the next two weeks, and the Japanese company says it has already signed deals with five major car manufacturers.
The Leaf, a plug-in hybrid, is the first electric vehicle to enter the Japanese market since Toyota announced its plug-ins will go on the market in 2020.
The company’s Nissan Leaf, the world’s first plug- in hybrid electric car, was revealed at a press conference in Tokyo last week.
It’s powered by an electric motor, but has no combustion engine and is able to travel on road, which means it’s very fuel efficient.
Its range will be limited, but the company claims that it can reach 60km/h in the city and 90km/hr in the country’s countryside.
The Japanese company is offering the Leaf in two models: the Leaf S, which has a range of 80km, and a version with a range that’s expected to be around 70km.
The S model will cost around $40,000, and it comes with a 16 kWh battery pack, a 6.7kWh battery pack and a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The EV is said to have a range comparable to a plug in petrol car, but it will cost slightly more than that to run.
Nissan is also offering the EV with an optional all-wheel drive option, which can be unlocked by buying a third-party version of the Leaf.
The US version of Nissan’s Leaf will be priced at around $60,000.
The car has a 7.1 kilowatt-hour battery, which will last about three days of driving.
The Nissan Leaf has been described as “an absolute game changer” by some experts.
Nissan says it is aiming to make EVs as cost-effective as gas vehicles.
The new Leaf has already been offered in the US and the UK, and Nissan has also offered the EV in Europe.
Nissan will be launching its first plug in electric car in Japan on February 25, 2019.