Is the Nissan LEAF the best eco-friendly family car?

The future of electric vehicles? We don't know this yet. However, we know that the electric Nissan LEAF is a promising entry into the automotive industry of the future. Why?

Have you ever wondered why your laptops aren't equipped with a tiny internal combustion engine? Theoretically, this is quite feasible, but ... It would be a very inconvenient, impractical and probably uneconomical solution. Here is a textbook example of "the excess of form over content." There are certain reasons why telephones, computers, or radios are powered by electricity, while ships, planes, and cars are powered by internal combustion engines.

Nevertheless, car manufacturers decided to create four-wheeled vehicles that would use electricity to move. Well, as bad as the idea (at the current level of technology) is, I have to admit that in the case of the Nissan LEAF, the effect is… promising.

It's in cars like the LEAF that manufacturers see the answer to rapidly dwindling oil supplies (a theory as stretched as global warming) and rising air pollution.

We have yet to find out if this is a good answer. And although it is difficult to write about an electric car without outlining the whole electro-environmental background, let's leave this controversy to the eco-hairpins and PR departments of automobile concerns. Let's focus on our car of the future, which can already be driven on city streets today. After all, only in the city you can meet Nissan LEAF.

There are 48 lithium-ion battery modules in the floor of our oval version of the exhaust-free hatchback. For this, a completely new platform was used, and the entire car was about the length of an Opel Astra or Ford Focus. In total, the batteries (the same ones that power your laptops) have a capacity of 24 kWh - about 500 times more than the average laptop. Thanks to them, a car with an electric motor weighing 1550 kg can theoretically travel up to 175 km.

In practice, however, in the winter conditions in which we tested the LEAF for a week, with freezing temperatures and the need for air conditioning, 24 kWh will be enough for about 110 km. Then the car must land at the socket and only after 8 hours of charging it will be ready to go the next 110 km (with very careful handling of the accelerator pedal and in the "Eco" mode, which significantly "silences" the engine). Yes, there is the possibility of the so-called. "Fast charging" - 80 percent of energy in 20 minutes - but there are no stations in Poland yet that would make this possible. There are more of them in Europe.

There are a few issues with LEAF charging. One of the less obvious ones is cable-related. Coiling and unwinding a 5-meter-thick rope as thick as a hard sausage every day is nothing pleasant, especially in winter, when it usually lies in a puddle of a mixture of snow, mud and salt flowing from the car. Well, probably 100 years ago there were similar complaints about the inconvenience of starting a car with a handle, but today ...

110 km - theoretically there should be no problems. This is enough for everyday trips around the city. Work, school, shop, home. Experts have calculated that the average resident of a big city does not need more happiness. And everything is ok. A purely electric car seems to work. On one very important condition. Well, you should be able to charge your LEAF at home (or wherever you spend your nights). If you don't already have a home with a garage, or at least a garage space on the block, forget about LEAF. Without convenient access to an electrical outlet, using an electric car becomes a struggle for every mile, constant stress or energy reserves will allow you to get to your destination. Imagine that you are constantly driving on gasoline gases. Nothing nice, right?

Let's say you already have easy access to the socket. Please note that Nissan does not recommend the use of extension cords, so the LEAF should be within 5 meters of a "plug-in" area. The electric Nissan is a perfectly reasonable and, above all, cheap to run vehicle. A car that will comfortably and economically move from point A to point B, provided they are not too far away.

Let's assume that the average price per kWh is PLN 60. (fare G11) a full charge of LEAF costs PLN 15. For these 15 PLN we will cover about 120 km. And if we take into account even many times cheaper nightly electricity rates, it turns out that we can travel with LEAF almost free of charge. We leave you with further calculations and comparisons with your current vehicle. We only mention that the warranty for the battery pack is 8 years or 160 thousand. kilometers.

Under the LEAF hood, nothing explodes or burns, which means complete silence and the absolute absence of vibrations when driving. Hardly any car can provide such acoustic comfort as the LEAF. At higher speeds, only wind noise is heard, at lower speeds, tire noise. The soft noise of acceleration and the linear acceleration provided by the continuously variable transmission are extremely soothing, as is driving at a constant speed. This makes LEAF the perfect place to unwind after a day's work.

In LEAF you sit in a comfortable and spacious chair, although you do not expect lateral support from it. There is plenty of space in the bright cabin, and the only scratch in terms of ergonomics is the steering wheel, which is only height adjustable. The car has about 150. złoty? Nissan is wrong. However, the rather high driving position is not to be faulted, and the large glass surfaces provide excellent visibility (which is becoming increasingly rare in new cars).

It is worth noting that LEAF is a full-fledged car with a capacity of up to 5 people. The electric Nissan is much sleeker and more practical than the small Mitsubishi i-Miev and its two similarly priced Citroen and Peugeot counterparts. The rear of the LEAF can accommodate 3 people, and behind them there is a 330-liter luggage compartment. Considering that you will never go on vacation in this car, there is no need for greater happiness.

Interior LEAF (as well as its appearance) can be called moderately futuristic. All driving parameters are displayed digitally, like a Christmas tree that blooms on the dashboard to reward our gentle driving style. Touchscreen navigation shows the range at the current battery level, and instead of a gear lever, we have a stylish "mushroom" - you press it back and go. In addition, LEAF is easy to connect using a dedicated smartphone app. This "pairing" allows you to control the air conditioning and heating in the car and set them to a specific time.

The quality of the materials and their fit are Nissan's solid school, and it's safe to assume that unwanted noise will never disturb the silence in the cabin. True, the quality of the plastic is not ahead of its time - contrary to the idea of ​​​​the entire car - but the savings are visible only in some corners of the cabin.

Riding the LEAF is a pleasure and a relaxing experience, thanks in part to the performance of the suspension. Due to the fact that the sporting aspirations of the electric Nissan were as high as those of the football players of our team, the suspension turned out to be very convenient to set up. It's just extremely soft and works great on city streets. Yes, you have to be prepared for a lot of lean in the corners, but the LEAF doesn't even provoke a ride where you might experience them often. Moreover, the powerful power steering does not contribute to clear cornering, and the characteristics of the suspension, like the suspension, are subject to comfort.

Surrounded by German hatchbacks, the LEAF may look like a schoolboy in gym class, but its acceleration can confuse many drivers of a Diesel Passachik or the average BMW. The characteristics of the electric unit provide a solid 280 Nm even when you press the gas pedal, which makes the blue “leaflet” very lively in the urban speed range. In a word, when starting under the headlights, “it’s not a shame” and you don’t have to worry that drivers of smoking diesel engines will scoff at the “zero emissions” sign. OK, 100 mph time is 11,9 seconds, but 100 mph in the city? Up to 60-80 km / h there is nothing to complain about. Outside built-up areas LEAF with 109 hp accelerates to 145 km / h (keep an eye on the power reserve!).

Finally, it is worth noting that while the Polish market is still waiting for the debut of LEAF (probably in the middle of this year), its restyled version has already entered the market. Although the aesthetic changes are minor, Japanese engineers have thoroughly modernized the mechanics. As a result, the range of the LEAF (theoretical) has increased from 175 to 198 km, and its price (in the UK) has decreased - calculated from 150 thousand. up to PLN 138 thousand. zloty. Nevertheless, it should still be considered quite high, especially since in our country we cannot count on any form of state “support” when buying an electric car.

In any case, apart from Tesla, the LEAF is the best electric car on the market right now. This is actually what is encoded in its name. Translated from English, LEAF means "Leading, environmentally friendly, affordable family car." Except for the last feature, everything is correct. Let's add that the electric Nissan is also practical, and driving it is actually inexpensive and can bring a smile to your face ... The only question is, are our cities ready for the electric revolution?