- Nissan finally ditches the old-school passively cooled battery pack for the new Leaf.
- A new liquid-based system can harvest heat from the onboard charger.
- The third-generation Leaf EV also comes with a new suspension setup at the rear.
The Nissan Leaf was the world’s first mass-produced electric car. It was–and still is–one of the most affordable EVs in the game, which resulted in over half a million sales since its debut in 2010, but its low entry price also means some corners had to be cut.
For 15 years, the first- and second-generation Leaf came with a passively cooled high-voltage battery. This means there is no coolant moving around the cells to heat or cool them, the car instead relying on the natural air flow to keep things in check. This will finally change once the third-generation model comes along later this year.
Not having a liquid-cooled battery isn’t the end of the world if you live in a mild climate. However, when it’s freezing cold or scorching hot outside, things start deteriorating. Range, charging speeds, and battery health take a hit because the electricity inside the cells can’t travel as fast as when the battery is at a comfortable temperature.
With the all-new Leaf, this won’t be a problem anymore because Nissan decided to fit it with a liquid cooling system that can maintain the battery pack’s temperature at an ideal level. Moreover, the system can harvest heat from the onboard battery charger to warm the battery and potentially increase the driving range in cold weather.
Speaking of range, Nissan says the new Leaf will be able to deliver between 186 and 311 miles (300 to 500 kilometers) on a full charge, which suggests more than one battery option will be available. We don’t know on which of the driving cycles these figures were obtained, though.
For what it’s worth, a 14-minute DC fast charging session should result in 155 miles (250 km) of range, which isn’t bad at all. That said, we don’t know what the maximum charging speed of the Leaf is.
In the powertrain department, the new electric crossover (yes, it’s no longer a classic hatchback) will continue to be a front-motor, front-wheel drive car. In its most powerful version, the redesigned front drive unit, which is 10% smaller than its predecessor, offers the same 214 horsepower as before, while the torque figure has gone up from 250 pound-feet to 261 lb-ft. That will make little to no difference in the real world, but it’s ok, because the Leaf was never a performance EV.
That said, the new model finally ditches the torsion beam rear suspension for a multi-link setup, which should make for a nicer driving experience.
We should know more about the all-new Nissan Leaf after its debut later this year.
