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NEWS
Nissan predicts EV battery breakthrough by 2018
Range anxiety in the Nissan LEAF will be a thing of the past – in the futureThe next generation of Nissan's LEAF electric vehicle (EV) will offer double the range between battery charges, the manufacturer has told Automotive News Europe.
The industry publication reported last week that Nissan's Chief Planning Officer Philippe Klein is optimistic that EV users' range anxiety will lessen in the near future, thanks in part to improving battery technology.
"We don't need that much to get out from the basic range anxiety," Klein said at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. "We're going to be there relatively quickly."
With his follow-up statement, Klein insinuated that the next generation of LEAF is expected to arrive in global markets from 2017 or 2018 – bringing with it an uprated battery pack for longer touring between recharges.
"It's fair to recognise we are a bit short," Klein said in regard to the range of the current LEAF. "But for commuting purposes, we are not very far from getting out from range anxiety."
In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency officially rates the LEAF's range at 134km. In Australia, Nissan claims the LEAF will travel 170km, although a previous road test by motoring.com.au suggests it's more like 130km in the real world. Nevertheless, that's considerably better than most plug-in hybrids in EV mode – and the quirky Mitsubishi i-MiEV.
During November last year, Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn confirmed on Japanese TV that a next-generation battery under development will yield twice the storage capacity, but Klein refused to discuss this with Automotive News.
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