Recently, Nissan organised a preview of their cars that will adorn the Nissan stand at the Auto Expo 2012.
The preview had the entire Indian line-up, including the 370Z, and the mad GT-R. However, one of the major highlights of the preview was the all-electric, multiple award winning Nissan Leaf.
The Leaf has won many accolades from the world media for being the most practical electric vehicle today. And to achieve this Nissan started from the ground up instead of using one of their petrol/ diesel cars as the base for the Leaf. This gave the engineers room to play around and create a brand-new car. However, the Leaf is as practical as a family hatchback and drives like one too. The key lies in its design.
The only source of power in the Leaf are the li-ion batteries that are placed smartly on the floor of the car, lowering the centre of gravity while providing a good balance. And the 80 kW electric motor up front packs quite a punch. It generates 108 PS of power and a good 280 Nm of torque, which is available from zero revolutions per minute. This motor drives the front wheels via a single-speed transmission. The McPherson struts at the front with torsion beam suspension at the back make the Leaf handle just like a conventional car.
Its two driving modes change the car's character completely. Put it in the 'D' mode and you have all the 108 PS and 280 Nm at your disposal. The re-generative braking comes down to 60 per cent and the range drops dramatically. However, switch to the 'Eco' mode and the Leaf turns conservationist. It reduces the punchiness, pumps the re-generative braking to full and increases the range dramatically.
Design-wise the Leaf packs a lot of practicality. The bulging upswept headlamps actually deflect the air away from the mirrors to create less noise and reduce drag. The whole car is designed to reduce as much drag as possible and small things like the radio antenna are also shaped in such a way that they reduce noise and drag.
Moving to the car's interior, and I must say it looks quite conventional rather than out of a science fiction film. The simple dashboard layout is quite inviting. However, the interior has a lot of beige and white, which requires additional care. The cabin is airy and has enough space to seat five adults comfortably. The little shifter knob mimics a multimedia controller of a high-end luxury saloon.
Overall, the Leaf seems to be a good bet for the polluted city side. However, with a price tag of Rs 21 lakh for the base variant (taxes and duties excluded), this rolling eco-warrior is quite an expensive bet for Indians.
Story: Ravi Chandnani
Photography: Nissan
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