Nissan Leaf hatchback - Electric motor, drive & performance
With as much as 214bhp, instant torque and no gearchanges, the Nissan Leaf offers effortless acceleration
While some electric car buyers are after blistering space-age performance, others just want a comfortable way to get from A to B while keeping running costs low. The Nissan Leaf caters for the latter, with light steering that makes driving around town effortless.
In order to keep body roll to a minimum, Nissan has had to stiffen the Leaf’s suspension setup – even more so on e+ models with the larger, heavier battery. Nevertheless, the plug-in hatchback is no more uncomfortable than the petrol-powered Nissan Qashqai crossover on a bumpy road. Although, as you’d expect, the largest of potholes do send shockwaves into the cabin.
Nissan claims the Leaf is around 30% quieter than petrol-powered rivals when on the move; we can believe that as tyre noise is generally kept to a minimum, while the electric motors are hushed when up to speed, only emitting a satisfying whine when under acceleration.
The Leaf also has 'e-Pedal', which is Nissan’s version of one-pedal driving. This utilises the electric motors to slow the car down, in turn recuperating energy back into the battery. In practice, it’s simple to get used to, activating the brake lights as you decelerate; however, you may still find yourself reaching for the brake pedal when you’re travelling more quickly.
Nissan Leaf electric motors
If you’ve never driven an electric car, you may be unprepared for how they deliver their power instantaneously, making even underpowered models feel quick off the line. Boasting 148bhp, even the standard Leaf feels brisk under acceleration, getting from 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds – quicker than a Citroen e-C4 and just behind that of the Volkswagen ID.3.
The electric motor in the e+ model is even more potent, outputting 214bhp; this cuts the 0-62mph time down to just 6.9 seconds and increases the Leaf’s top speed from 90mph to 98mph. Regardless of which electric motor setup you choose, both offer smooth and effortless acceleration that’s accompanied by a distant hum when accelerating hard.
