2020 Nissan Leaf electric

The Leaf is powered by a 40-kWh battery and 147-HP electric motor combo, which has a claimed range of over 200 miles. There is also a more powerful 63-kWh battery and 215-HP motor combo. However, if you love those highway drives, then the EV side of the market might not suit you at the moment. If you try to extract all these horses from the motor, the charge gets depleted quickly. Still, for everyday driving, these are quite fine vehicles.

Electric Vehicles, or EVs, are slowly gaining traction in the market, owing to the spreading awareness among manufacturers and consumers alike. EVs are better for the environment than conventional cars, because of emissions, or lack thereof. Sure, the electricity used in such cars may have come from fossil fuels as well, but renewable energy sources are on the rise too.

"The all-electric 2021 Nissan Leaf offers quick acceleration and roomy seats, and it comes standard with lots of technology, but it suffers from low-grade cabin materials and a short driving range compared to competitors." - Cars.USNews

Nissan Leaf offers three trim levels namely- S, SV and SL and all under a price range of $36,200. A 147 hp AC Synchronous Motor is standard across the range. Some of the standard features are a 7-inch infotainment system, automatic temperature control, and standard automatic emergency braking.

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All of the trim levels of Nissan Leaf come in almost the same driving range and offer almost the same performance. We will recommend the base model of Leaf with some of the additional features like a DC fast-charging port and portable charge cables.

"With its more powerful electric motor, the second-generation Nissan Leaf feels far more at home when jockeying for position in traffic than the original car, which was a bit of a slug. Its general smoothness, competent chassis demeanor and steering feel will be utterly familiar to Leaf veterans." -Edmunds

Engine specs of the 2020 Nissan Leaf

The 2020 Leaf uses an electric motor to drive the wheels instead of a gasoline engine, hence the name ‘electric car’. Its AC Synchronous Motor produces 147 Horsepower and 236 Pound-feet of torque. If these numbers don’t catch your fancy, well, you’re in luck! Nissan now offers a more powerful motor in the ‘Plus’ trim, 215 HP to be exact. The improved power helps with drivability, and it also gets a better range than the standard model.

The biggest problem with electric cars is the charging time. With a standard 110 Volt outlet, the Leaf will attain a full charge in a staggering 35 hours. If you do plan on using your car for daily errands though, there is a better charging method. A quick charging outlet will give the car enough juice for 90 miles in just 30 minutes, which is a lot more practical.

Chevrolet Bolt is a surprisingly powerful electric car, with a 200 Horsepower motor. The i3 is an electric car but gets a range-extender 3-cylinder gasoline engine that charges the battery when your electric charge runs low. There’s also Kia’s electric vehicle, the Soul EV wagon/hatchback. With just 109 Horsepower max output, it is on the lower end of the spectrum. For comparison purposes, there is Prius C included here, Toyota’s compact hybrid hatchback, just to check how the purely electric cars stack against a similar hybrid car.

Acceleration of the 2020 Nissan Leaf

Testing performance in environment-friendly cars is extremely counter-intuitive, as you end up not using the car in a sustainable way. The faster the charge runs out, the faster you have to search for a charging port. Also, electric cars are a mixed bag in terms of acceleration. You get instant torque from the electric motors, which gives you blinding acceleration for a moment.

Then, when the motor reaches the peak output, you’d be left wishing for more juice. Nissan Leaf is just the same, with the ‘Plus’ being a little better, but still the same. 

Ride and Handling of the 2020 Nissan Leaf

The ride and handling of the Leaf aren’t particularly impressive. The steering doesn’t weigh up when the speed rises, and the feedback is minimal. The low mounted battery does give it a low center of gravity, which inspires quite a lot of confidence, although the skinny tires don't offer much grip. The lack of pesky clutch pedals and gear shifters does make life easy in the cities. To be honest, with its simple controls, driving the Leaf feels more like playing a videogame.

With its more powerful electric motor, the second-generation Nissan Leaf feels far more at home when jockeying for position in traffic than the original car, which was a bit of a slug. Its general smoothness, competent chassis demeanor, and steering feel will be utterly familiar to Leaf veterans.

Braking of the 2020 Nissan Leaf

To decelerate gently, you need not use the brake pedal, as you would in a conventional car. Instead, just roll off the accelerator, and the car will convert your motion (kinetic energy) into battery charge (electrical energy). 

When the need to shed speed is high though, you can depress the pedal and the disc brake setup on all four wheels gets engaged. With left foot hard on the pedal, this car comes to a dead stop at a distance of 128 feet, which is average.

In comparison with its competition, the 2020 Chevy Bolt weighs 3563 lbs and is shy of 6 lbs from being the heaviest. That puts the 2020 Nissan Leaf at a weight of 3569 lbs and is the heaviest. In terms of rotor size, it is the 2020 Leaf that gets the largest. It is followed by the beemer with rotors measuring 11.0 inches each for front and back.

"In addition to operating range, electric and plug-in-hybrid vehicles can be measured for overall efficiency in relation to gasoline cars using MPG-equivalent ratings." - Cars.USNews

For 2020, the standard Nissan Leaf offers a 40-kWh battery pack, same as the last year. What’s new in 2020 Leaf is the optional larger 62-kWh battery. The standard model gives a range of only 151 miles on a full charge, much less than the rivals, while the ‘Plus’ offers 226 miles of range, almost on par with Chevy Bolt and Kia Niro. The car reaches up to 80% charge in just 40 minutes with the help of a fast charge.

"The [Nissan Leaf’s] seats are plush and accommodating, the back seat provides plenty of space for two adults, and the large rear cargo area isn't completely gobbled up by the battery pack since the Leaf was designed from the outset as an electric vehicle."- CarandDriver

Seating and Comfort of the 2020 Nissan Leaf

With generous exterior dimensions, you get plenty of space inside. You can carry 4 passengers apart from the driver, bringing the total to 5 people, in comfort. 2020 Leaf is one of the most comfortable EVs in the market right now. Owing to the lack of an engine, there is no engine sound in the cabin. Even the road and wind noises are kept to a minimum, although they do get prominent at speed.

You do get better interiors in its premium rival, the BMW, although it does demand some serious cash premium over the little Nissan. The Chevy EV though doesn’t offer any significant improvement in interiors.

Interior Features of the 2020 Nissan Leaf

• Dual-zone automatic temperature control
• Rear passenger air conditioning vents
• Rear door alert
• Nissan intelligent key with push-button ignition
• Remote engine start system
• Tilt and telescoping steering column
• Variable intermittent speed-sensitive windshield wipers
• Sun visors with illuminated vanity mirrors and extensions
• Auto-dimming inside rearview mirror

Infotainment of the 2020 Nissan Leaf

The 2020 Nissan Leaf has a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that supports AM/FM, HD Radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.

• 7.0-inch Infotainment System (8.0-inch display is optional on ‘Plus’)
• Automatic Temperature Control
• Aerodynamic underbody panels
• Nissan Navigation System
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• Portable Charge Cables (120 V/ 240 V)
• Leather-Appointed seats
• Premium Audio System with seven speakers
• Intelligent Around View Monitor

The navigation system of the car gives real-time traffic information with the help of satellite radio.

Cargo volume of the 2020 Nissan Leaf

The new Nissan has a very useful trunk, contrary to what cars usually offer in the segment. The battery pack is mounted low in the car, and thus the space in the trunk is kept free for cargo. The Leaf offers 23.6 cubic feet, which is almost the best in the segment.

"In keeping with the new oddness-reduced external style, the cabin is now more visually orthodox. The instruments have relatively subdued graphics, while offering a cornucopia of factoids on journey, energy, assistance and entertainment."- Top Gear

Design and Dimensions of the 2020 Nissan Leaf

The little Nissan is quite compact, at just over 176 inches and 70 inches in length and width. The compact dimensions sadly have a lot of metal hidden underneath, 3433 pounds of curb weight. The Leaf offers a ground clearance of 5.9 inches, which is great for a city car

With the 2018 redesign, the Nissan Leaf now looks a little prettier than the previous gen-model. Off-roading is a strict no-no, but you could take it over broken roads just fine.

The new design is surprisingly similar to the new Altima sedan, making the Leaf look more like an Altima-based Hatchback. The headlights are almost rectangular units, with a U-shaped front grille complete the front look. You also get 17-inch Machine-Finished Aluminum Alloy Wheels, LED Headlights, with Daytime Running Lights integrated.

External Features of the 2020 Nissan Leaf

• LED headlamps
• LED DRLs
• Aerodynamic underbody panels and rear diffuser
• UV reducing solar glass
• Acoustic laminated glass
• Chrome v-motion grille
• Dark chrome v-motion grille

"The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the 2020 Leaf the highest rating of Good in the three crashworthiness tests conducted." - Cars.USNews

The list of standard safety features in the 2020 Nissan Leaf includes the following:

• Nissan Advanced Air Bag System with Dual-Stage Supplemental Front Air Bags with Seat Belt and Occupant-Classification Sensors
• Driver and Front-Passenger Seat-Mounted Side-Impact Supplemental Air Bags
• Roof-Mounted Curtain Supplemental Air Bags with Rollover Sensor for Side-Impact Head Protection For Front And Rear-Seat Outboard Occupants
• Front Seat Belts with Pretensioners And Load Limiters
• 3-Point ALR/ELR Passenger Seat Belt System (ELR For Driver)
• Zone Body Construction with Front and Rear Crumple Zones
• LATCH System (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children)
• Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) With Traction Control System (TCS)

2020 Nissan Leaf vs 2020 Chevrolet Bolt

Chevrolet Bolt is a great EV vehicle, with lots of range and plenty of usable power. The range actually is the biggest appeal with the Chevy, 238 miles compared to 150 miles on the Leaf. It also offers quicker acceleration, better steering and handling combo, more spacious interiors, and plusher seating. The Leaf offers better cargo capacity though and is also a little cheaper than the Bolt. If it isn’t too hard on your wallet, the Chevy is actually quite a nice buy, else, save a little money and get the Leaf

2020 Nissan Leaf vs 2020 BMW i3

The Beemer is a much more premium offering than the Nissan, and it feels like one too, both on the inside and outside. You could easily forget that this car is a “budget” offering, at least by BMW standards. You also get better range in the i3, and if you decide to spend a little extra, a range extender as well, which simply put, is just a gasoline engine that powers the battery when the charge goes down. Overall, the BMW is a much better offering, provided you are prepared to spend the extra cash.

2020 Nissan Leaf vs 2020 Toyota Prius

Toyota Prius is the quintessential Eco-friendly car, the one everyone knows, the one celebrities drive to show how much they care about the Earth. That’s because it has made a reputation for itself in the market internationally, and has a strong Eco-conscious image attached to it. Nissan Leaf, on the other hand, hasn’t had any comparable amount of success. It was not a particularly good-looking car till last year as well, nor was it really practical to run as well. That, however, has now changed.

The 2020 Nissan Leaf is quite a simple and practical electric car, one that is equally adept at city commutes. While spirited driving within city limits isn’t much of a problem, but try to avoid highways unless there are charging points along your route. Fast charging will give you a quick top-up for a good enough range. If you want to have an electric are considering an electric car on a slightly tight pocket, the Nissan Leaf will suit you well.

Also read:

• Read about the 2021 Nissan Kicks Review: Price, Trims, Changes, Specs, interior, & Features
• Read about the Nissan To Offer Nismo Versions Of Their Pickups, SUVs, and Crossovers

Frequently Asked Questions about 2020 Nissan Leaf

What is the cost of the 2020 Nissan Leaf?

The 2020 Nissan Leaf S is priced at $ 29,990.

Which is better, Tesla Model 3 or Nissan Leaf?

Tesla Model 3 has a better range but the Nissan Leaf is obviously priced a lot lower than Tesla.

What's new in the 2020 Nissan Leaf?

New Leaf Plus model with a larger battery pack and more powerful motor

How is the warranty offering of the 2020 Nissan Leaf?

The warranty offering of the Nissan Leaf includes the following:

• Basic Warranty: 3 yr./ 36000 mi.
• Rust Warranty: 5 yr./ unlimited mi.
• EV Battery Warranty: 8 yr./ 100000 mi.
• Drivetrain Warranty: 5 yr./ 60000 mi.