2018 Nissan Leaf Spotted in Spain, Minus the Camo

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

The 2018 Nissan Leaf was ready for its close-up, but didn’t count on a Norwegian tourist peering through a hotel window.

Photos have emerged of a completely uncamouflaged next-generation Leaf spotted in Barcelona, Spain, apparently while in the midst of filming a commercial. The photos, sent to Norway’s TV2 television channel (Norway does love its EVs…), show the unclothed Leaf wearing a far more appealing body than that of its predecessor.

Still sporting a hatchback bodystyle, the 2018 Leaf boasts a number of advancements Nissan has slowly and carefully dripped to the media over the past few months. Head office won’t be happy to see these pics.

Gone is the first-generation Leaf’s bulbous body and fishlike face, replaced by a (vertically) slimming black roof — a motif that extends all of the way down the A-pillars and partly down the C-pillar — and a corporate front end treatment. Relatively flat bodysides and a strongly sculpted rear bumper suggests to the viewer that this vehicle needs all the aerodynamic help it can get. Less drag equals more range, whatever the figure ends up being.

We’ll learn the full range of specs when the Leaf officially debuts on September 6th. Given the state of the electric car marketplace, a range of at least 200 miles is a necessity. We’ve heard the 250 figure tossed about as a possible driving radius; certainly, whatever Nissan has planned will undoubtedly blow the current Leaf’s 107-mile range out of the water. In the little hatchback’s sights are the similar Chevrolet Bolt and sedan-only Tesla Model 3.

The upgraded model will also feature Nissan’s ProPilot Assist semi-autonomous driving system, which handles the driving duties in a variety of scenarios. No, it’s not a fully self-driving car, but Tesla-style updates should follow its release.

One unique feature found on the 2018 model is Nissan’s e-Pedal, which allows for single-pedal driving. While Nissan assures us there’s still a brake pedal, the vehicle’s strong regenerative braking allows drivers to slow, stop, and hold the vehicle on an incline just by letting off the accelerator.

For Nissan, the new Leaf can’t arrive soon enough. While the model isn’t a big money maker for the brand, no automaker wants its former technology champ sitting on the sidelines, muscles atrophied, wheezing. Perhaps due to falling prices and hard-to-pass-up local deals, the Leaf has posted 10 consecutive months of year-over-year sales gains in the U.S.

[Images: TV2.no]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Erikstrawn Erikstrawn on Aug 02, 2017

    "Head office won’t be happy to see these pics." I'm sure head office would easily PAY for pics to get "leaked" if it would build hype. The only reason they might not like these pics is because they're not high-res and from the wrong angles.

  • SCE to AUX SCE to AUX on Aug 02, 2017

    This car is a day late and a dollar short. Many former Leaf leaseholders like me have been waiting for the Model 3 or Bolt, seeking a better overall experience than Leaf 1.0 offered. A big question that Nissan is dodging: battery thermal management. If it's air-only, forget it. The only way Nissan is going to move this car is if it's a price champ.

    • Thelaine Thelaine on Aug 02, 2017

      From what I've read, SCE, "price champ" is a big goal of Nissan. I am looking to lease one when they are available if I can get it about 300 a month, no money down. I think the Bolt is a good car, but too small and, in my opinion, butt-ugly. I will have to see the Leaf in person. Maybe it is just as tiny as the Bolt.

  • Ronin It's one thing to stay tried and true to loyal past customers; you'll ensure a stream of revenue from your installed base- maybe every several years or so.It's another to attract net-new customers, who are dazzled by so many other attractive offerings that have more cargo capacity than that high-floored 4-Runner bed, and are not so scrunched in scrunchy front seats.Like with the FJ Cruiser: don't bother to update it, thereby saving money while explaining customers like it that way, all the way into oblivion. Not recognizing some customers like to actually have right rear visibility in their SUVs.
  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
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