Nissan Motor Co. has just announced the 2013 model of its popular, yet expensive, all electric car, the Leaf. Among the more noteworthy features are the ability to travel further distances between recharges, a more accurate way of telling drivers how much battery life is left on a charge, and the addition of a cheaper model.
The new Leaf was shown off at hotel in Tokyo today, with Nissan touting the increased travel distance of 228 kilometers (142 miles), up from 200 km. That will, of course, require that you turn of the air conditioning and every other possible comfort feature to replicate. In addition to new color choices, both for the exterior and leather inside, the 2013 Leaf adds a feature that drivers have been suggesting since the car first debuted in 2010: a gauge that tells the driver how much battery is remaining by percentage, making it easier to know at a glance how close one is to getting to the dreaded 0.
Entry-level Leaf’s interior
The new entry-level model, minus all the fancy new features, obviously, will be priced at just under 2.5 million yen (approx. $31,000). This is fairly significant as the previous year’s entry price was at nearly 3 million yen ($37,000). This pricing structure is expected to carry to the North American market as well, meaning those in the U.S. will be that much more able to afford the arguably still expensive compact.
[via The Tribune]