With a brand new and stylish addition, Nissan seems to break hearts of it's competititors big time. Adding this super dapper design to a hatchback, I cant wait to get my hands on it.
Since Nissan released the new generation of its Leaf electric vehicle, we've been waiting on a longer-range version likely to be called the Leaf E-Plus. While the Leaf's 40-kWh lithium-ion battery provides 151 miles of driving on a single charge, the E-Plus will get a 60-kWh pack, and an expected driving range of about 225 miles. Now, we have an idea of what that longer-range leaf will cost.
Based on reports, seeing initial order guides, the Leaf E-Plus will have a starting MRP of about $5,500 more than the 40-kWh versions. If you take the base Leaf, the S trim level, and apply that math, we're looking at a base price of about $36,385 before incentives. The next level up, the Leaf SV, would cost $38,855, while the range-topping SL would start at $42,595.
While the $7,500 tax credit lasts, that means one could buy a 60-kWh Leaf for $28,885. That credit begins to dwindle once the automaker has sold 200,000 vehicles under the program. That means Nissan has fewer than half of those left.
Range isn't the only improvement to the Leaf E-Plus. While the 40-kWh Leaf provides 147 horsepower, the 60-kWh version is expected to have 200 horsepower on offer. It is also expected to provide faster charging at DC chargers, perhaps up to double the speed of the 40-kWh version. According to CarsDirect, it will go on sale starting in January 2019.
Interestingly, the report also states that Nissan will likely discontinue the SL trim level of the 40-kWh version once the E-Plus arrives.