Electric cars... a few decades ago the mere thought of a mass produced battery powered car would've been laughable, but then again a century ago the thought of a man walking on the moon would've been unthinkable. Thanks to sheer dedication and passion for innovation, companies like Nissan strive to make the impossible, possible and they won't give up until they do.
It might surprise many to know that Nissan's electric vehicle research dates back as far as the 1940's when it released its first electric vehicle in 1947, the Tama EV which was equipped with lead batteries. In 1997 it released the Prairie Joy EV and then in 2005 the Nissan Pivo followed by the Pivo 2. With various limitations such as short cruising ranges none of these vehicles really took flight. That was until 2009 when Nissan announced its latest and so far greatest EV yet, the all-electric, 5-seater Nissan LEAF.
In 2010 the LEAF was launched in Japan, Europe and the United States and received a positive response from owners and the motoring industry alike earning it the coveted 2011 World Car of the Year title along with many other international awards.
Though the Nissan LEAF might not produce sports car performance and SUV capability it delivers ample power and torque to get the driver from A to B and back. It's 80kW and 280Nm electric motor lets you travel distances of up to 160km on one charge while it's capable of reaching a maximum speed of 145km/h. And charging it is effortless and hassle-free. The Nissan LEAF is powered by a lithium-ion battery and can be plugged into your regular household socket, while it takes around 8 hours to fully charge.
This Nissan future model isn't just 100% electric and fully rechargeable, but also promises low fuel consumption and zero gas emissions making it likely the greenest car on the planet today. Though we often find it hard to quantify the reduction in damage on the planet that fewer emissions will achieve, Nissan explained it in simple terms in a recent update. If the LEAF units already sold were powered by gasoline, it would've emitted 17,633 tons of CO2 and for a forest to process that amount of CO2 it would require 1,261,643 trees. When looking at the numbers, EVs do seem like the logical move forward for the motoring industry. And more future Nissan models are expected to follow in the LEAF's emission-free tracks.
The author occasionally writes articles on future motoring topics that include reviews of the Nissan LEAF and other electric vehicles and how it is changing the future of driving.
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