Luxurious electric vehicles always seem to have the limelight, but silently in the background, the Nissan Leaf is secretly competing with high sales numbers. One of the main reasons why is because of its affordability. The Nissan Leaf costs $31,670 exclusive of taxes; we all can agree that this is a very reasonable price.
It’s easy to get lost in a world of luxury, but sometimes compatibility brings us back to reality. In this ever-developing era, it’s easy to notice that the world is working towards a safer ecosystem.
The rapid development of electric cars is a spectacle that speaks in terms of wattage. More than being efficient, EVs are also cost-effective. In a way, charging seems to be more user-friendly than fueling up. Currently in its second generation, the Leaf is a compact electric car.
By March 2019, Nissan had sold 400,000 cars, making the Leaf the best-selling highway electric car of all time. The Japanese Motorworks even bagged the “Electric Car of the Year” for the Leaf in 2019.
All factors considered, electric cars are a push towards a green future. Before you board onto this journey of a pollution-less world, it would be fruitful to know all your options. To attend to this situation, we’ve accumulated data of the most sought after electric cars and compared head to head with the Nissan Leaf.
Before we compare the Nissan Leaf range with its rivals, let’s fully understand Leaf range first.
Nissan Leaf 2021: An Electric Vehicle Built To Pack A Punch In Its Price Range
The release of the Nissan Leaf enabled the masses to possess a fully electric hatchback without having to lose three years of their savings. Thanks to Nissan's approach, they pulled attention back from high-end electric vehicles by embedding a similar user experience at a pocket-friendly price.
There are two variants of the Leaf. The basic variant of the Nissan Leaf ranges up to 149 miles with a 40kWh in a single charge. Even though it is more than suffices the needs of a normal citizen in their hectic city life, this variant may fall short of their competitors' high-ranged vehicles.
Nissan recognized this shortcoming and came up with a plan to gradually increase the Leaf's range. The 2019 Nissan Leaf E plus' range is further enhanced to 226 miles, allowing the Leaf to keep up with rivals like the Hyundai Kona, Tesla's Base Model 3, and Chevrolet Bolt.
The Nissan Leaf has a decent 0 to 60 mph acceleration of 6.5 seconds. Standing at its price point, it only falls back to the top performers like the Tesla Model 3 in two seconds.
Being a 100% electric and zero outflow vehicle, the Nissan Leaf is a visual beauty. It comes pre-equipped with Nissan Intelligent Mobility allowing the user to rest assured about their safety.
The battery is known to complete a full charge while you’re asleep. It takes as low as 7.5 hours for the battery to get back to kicking through your day. Fast charging can be done by plugging the LEAF into a CHAdeMO 50kW rapid charger, and that can take the LEAF 40kWh battery from 20% to 80% in an hour.
Besides being a safe, savvy, and practical drive, the Nissan Leaf also guarantees lower running and support costs contrasted with the standard vehicles controlled by an interior ignition motor (ICE). This makes the Nissan Leaf a commendable venture with a classic hatchback.
Nissan Leaf Vs Chevy Bolt: Who Has The Upper Hand in Range?
To be very frank, it’s all a game of what your perception is of “value”. While the Chevrolet Bolt and Nissan Leaf are both excellent choices in the world of electric vehicles, The Leaf falls behind shortly in terms of only performance.
The 2021 Chevy Bolt has an impressive 259 miles per single charge, but considering the price tag, the leaf E plus only falls short by 34 miles. It provides drivers with a more powerful engine of 215 horses and 250 pound-feet of torque, whereas the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt Electric Vehicle comes with a power-packed 200 hp beast engine.
Chevrolet Bolt 2019 provides a feeling of a smooth ride with an excellent suspension system that makes it easier to absorb the collision on the road. In driving tests, the 2019 Nissan Leaf reached highway speeds with ease despite the lower horsepower and acceleration times.
The Leaf packs a stronger punch for the price, but you might prefer the Bolt for its impressive cargo space, quick acceleration, and longer range which costs $36,500 before taxes.
The Tesla Model 3, A Question Of Affordability Or Loaded Specs
For $8,000 extra, the Tesla does seem to have the upper hand in most compartments of comparison. But again, the concept of affordability and compatibility do play a major role in why the Nissan Leaf is an excellent competitor.
The basic Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus has a starting MSRP of $39,490, while the entry-level Nissan Leaf costs $31,670.
The Tesla Model 3 premiered in 3 different models:
- A standard range plus equipped with a 54 kWh battery and can drive up to 250 miles
- A performance model with a 75 kWh battery that can push till 300 miles
- A Long-range vehicle with up to 322 miles on a 75 kWh battery.
Whereas the Nissan Leaf has only two variants, the standard, and the plus. While the standard Leaf ranges up to 149 miles, Nissan pushed this range to catch up with its competitors by launching its Leaf E plus model that can run for 226 miles.
The Tesla Model 3 cuts through the winds with a 450 hp engine. For being a bit more expensive, the Tesla Model 3 is a seriously good shot.
The Hyundai Ioniq Packs A Punch At A Lower Price
Coming in at $23,400, the Hyundai Kona is a serious competitor to the Nissan Leaf. The affordability and the specs sheet are nearly a carbon copy of the Nissan Leaf Range.
The Hybrid Ioniq is powered by a Lithium-Ion Polymer battery with an upgraded 38.3kWh. The 0 to 60 acceleration standing at 8.3 seconds is seemingly dull compared to the 6.3 of the Nissan Leaf, yet impressive as it falls behind by a marginal 2 seconds.
The engine is fairly powerful, with an output of 135 HP. It is fairly spacious that can carry up to five passengers with no scope of discomfort. While the current version easily ranges up to 170 miles, the E plus model, which costs nearly the same, provides 226 miles with no burden on battery life.
The Hyundai IONIQ takes around 6.5 hours to fully recharge, almost an hour shorter than the Nissan Leaf. But the longer charging time puts it into, the longer range.
The crossover hatch comes equipped with six airbags and antilock brakes. The equipped rear camera comes with dynamic guidelines. The Leaf and the IONIQ are said to be equally matched. One may not find any noticeable differences between them and are likely to choose either.
The Volkswagen ID 3, A True Fashionable Competitor
The Volkswagen ID3 is a user-friendly car. It’s known to recognize the driver and unlock the car when they approach it with the key. It’s symbolic of moving one step closer to a smarter world.
It comes in three battery modes, each capable of providing a higher range than its predecessor,
- A 45kWh battery with a range of up to 205 miles
- A 58kWh battery with a range of up to 260 miles
- A 75kWh battery with a range of up to 340 miles
With a base price of $35,300, the Volkswagen is an excellent blend of performance and aesthetics. The engine is capable of producing 200 horses and has an impressive mileage.
Even though it falls behind in the 0 to 60 acceleration tests in comparison to the Nissan Leaf by a laggy 2.2 seconds, the car never seems to disappoint the consumer. No wonder the ID3 has a wide fan base just like the Nissan Leaf.
Our Final Notes
Although the Nissan Leaf may seem to fall behind in comparison to cars with better mileage, it seems to allow user affordability to push its attention amongst the masses. The Leaf is worth the buck promise unless other cars with better mileage are within your budget.