Nissan LEAF 2011 Review

The Nissan LEAF won't be on sale in Australia until the second quarter of 2012, but the Carsales Network was recently invited to test drive the car on local soil for the first time. After a driver briefing on how the charging system works, and how to operate the car, we hopped into the curvaceous-looking EV for a 40km commute through the suburbs.

First things first, and the Nissan LEAF drives very nicely. The ride quality is remarkably good, and the LEAF is capable of soaking up most blemishes in the road surface, yet there wasn't too much body roll noticed around the few corners we navigated either. The steering is direct and has a bit of weight to it too, yet slow speed and parking manoeuvres are still relatively easy.

There's no learning curve involved in driving the Nissan LEAF, no eccentricities to be cautious of -- you just prod the accelerator and turn the wheel and the car goes and stops like any other small car on the market. It's remarkably user friendly.

Drive is via an AC synchronous electric motor powered by a high-performance 24kWh lithium-ion battery (made by a Nissan/NEC joint-venture) and the Nissan LEAF's vital statistics are 80kW/280Nm with a top speed of 145km/h. The car has a cruising range of 170 kilometres if air-conditioning is not used.

Acceleration times aren't supplied, but the "seat of one's pants" feel is arresting.

Drop the hammer and the LEAF really hustles through traffic, with copious amount of grunt at all legal road speeds -- it's a relatively quick car under a full throttle and would outpace a Toyota Corolla with ease. While 80 kilowatts doesn't sound like much, 280Nm is on par with the Volkswagen Golf GTI's turbo 2.0-litre (petrol) combustion engine. The main difference being the LEAF develops its maximum torque from zero revs.

The gear shifter looks a bit like a trackball or a computer's mouse, providing the car with a futuristic ambience, and has two forward modes or 'gears' if you like - Drive and Eco. The Drive mode provides maximum torque while the Eco mode extends the LEAF's cruising range by reducing power output. The car also features Neutral and Reverse and has a push-button operated park brake.

Like some hybrid cars, the brake pedal is very stiff due to the regenerative braking system which recharges the batteries via the heat generated in the disc brakes. Nonetheless the car decelerated in a reassuring and predictable manner. It also comes with ABS and stability control.

The seating position is good, as are the car's ergonomics, and everything is within easy reach and clearly labelled. The instrument cluster is reminiscent of the Honda Accord with its split-level digital readouts, and even the high resolution touch-screen system is intuitive, which provides the driver with a lot more information than most cars, but more on that later.

We drove three up (three passengers on board) and there was plenty of room in the back seat for our Nissan caretaker, while head and leg room for driver and front passenger are ample. Boot space is a little cramped due to the various battery packs and electronic doodads needed, but there rear seats can be folded down for more space.

The car's we tested were top-of-the-range European spec models, which Nissan Australia shipped into the country to coincide with its announcement that it would fabricate several components for the LEAF EV at its Danadenong casting plant near Melbourne.

Interior fit and finish is remarkably good - there's a real sense of quality in the cabin, despite the use of recycled plastics. There are cup holders galore, decent sized glove box, plenty of incidental storage cubbies - everything you'd expect on a conventionally powetred car. I think when motorists see and drive a vehicle like the LEAF, their preconceptions of what an EV is will blown out of the water.

This car is very impressive.

One of the more surprising aspects of the car is LEAF's Information and Communication Technology (ICT in Nissan speak). Accessed by driver or front passenger through the car's easy-to-use and stylishly designed high resolution touch-screen system, the ICT displays battery status information, a cruising range overlay on the satellite navigation screen and way more features than we can possibly fit into a quick spin report.

But perhaps the most impressive aspect of the ICT is that it has its own SIM card which allows owners to communicate with their car via a smart phone, such as an Apple iPhone or Samsung Galaxy. Owners can monitor usage and CO2 emission levels remotely, pre-program their LEAF to charge at a certain times (assuming it's plugged in) and even turn on the air conditioning so that drivers arrive at their car pre-cooled.

Nissan Australia says it will cover the costs of the LEAF's SIM card and owners will also provide access to the Nissan CarWings Data Centre, which transmits all usage info to a secure location in Japan. This information is collated and, Nissan claims can be used to improve individual driving styles over time.

The LEAF's in-car infotainment systems are above and beyond anything offered in the new car marketplace at present. When paired with a plug-in electric vehicle that is effortless (and dare I say enjoyable) to drive, it's not surprising that Nissan can't build enough of these vehicles to satisfy demand.

"The allocation of 2011 Nissan LEAF cars for North America was sold out even before the first production vehicles arrived there from Japan," said Dan Thompson, CEO of Nissan Australia.

"The huge demand for this vehicle in markets around the world shows that Nissan totally correct to follow this fully electric powered path for future mobility," added Thompson, taking a subtle swipe at the likes of Toyota and Honda and their hybrid pursuits.

The Nissan LEAF has not been priced for Australia yet, but considering we'll be getting only one specification (a very high specification according to one Nissan insider) the price is expected to be around or above the $60,000 mark roughly the same as our long term Mitsubishi i-MiEV.

Standard features will include Bluetooth connectivity, intelligent key with push-button start, stability control, six airbags, and satellite navigation, while a solar panel rear spoiler, rear-view camera, and LED headlights are the expected options.

Charging the LEAF is a simple process of plugging in a control box attached to a charge lead, but Nissan Australia has not yet worked out whether it will go down the two-phase or three-phase path at this point. Australian versions of the LEAF will have two female sockets, one for a fast charge point, which takes about 30 minutes for an 80 per cent battery charge, and a standard socket that can be used at home or in offices, and will take around eight hours for an 80 per cent charge.

Nissan revealed that the LEAF's batteries will last for around 10 years, and will cost between $10,000 and $12,000 to replace. However Nissan Australia's top brass was quick to point out that the LEAF will not be left behind by advances in battery technology, advances that would both increase the 170km range and decrease battery replacement costs.

Potential customers will also be given peace of mind with a 24 hour road side assistance program that will come and collect your car should you ever run out of charge.

Nissan Australia's Manager of Field Quality Improvement, Rod Bahn, told the Carsales Network that around 10 or so dealers out of the 185 dealers nationally will sign up to sell and service the Nissan LEAF initially, with the majority of those on the Eastern seaboard's capital cities.

Expected to arrive in the first half of 2012, the Nissan LEAF has the potential to be game-changer. It doesn't feel like a gimmick or a half-finished car -- it's a remarkably well-thought out and impressively executed design that will change the way motorists think about electric vehicles.

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