Insights into the 3rd-Generation Nissan LEAF — VIDEO – CleanTechnica

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The Nissan LEAF is one of the oldest and most successful electric cars. You might say it’s an icon of the modern electric vehicle era. Yes, early versions of the model had some problems, but what early EV models didn’t?  Also, it was greatly loved by many owners.

Well, Nissan has continued to improve its LEAF models, and it’s now on the third generation. To help people understand the car and answer questions, Nissan just created a 3-part series of short videos about the 3rd-gen LEAF.

The videos feature members of the planning, design and engineering team at Nissan who developed the new LEAF. Here’s the first video from the series:

“A true, third-generation electric vehicle, the all-new LEAF is built upon learnings accumulated since the debut of the pioneering first generation model in 2010. In the 15 years since, Nissan has sold close to 700,000 units of LEAF globally, with owners estimated to have traveled a cumulative total of approximately 28 billion kilometers,” Nissan writes.

“The LEAF is regarded as one of Nissan’s ‘heartbeat models,’ a globally renowned nameplate representing the brand’s ‘do what others don’t dare to do’ ethos since its arrival as the world’s first mass-market electric car. With its innovative technologies, the LEAF serves to reinforce Nissan’s brand image.” That’s an interesting take. The LEAF hasn’t gotten the highest respect over the course of its long life, but it has been a groundbreaker, it has pushed the envelope at key times, and it has hung in there as the market has grown and gotten more competitive.

The model has always had a soft spot in my heart. I’ve never owned one, but my mom had one and loved it. It served her well for a few years, until she switched over to the BMW i3 six years ago, which she still has and loves.

Nissan has improved the aerodynamics of the new model, reaching a coefficient of drag of just 0.26 (Cd). Oh, and the European version gets even lower, reaching 0.25 Cd. (I have to say, one thing that always confuses me when I see announcements like this is: why didn’t they design earlier versions with such a good Cd? It’s clearly a critical factor for an EV. I guess it’s just a case of finding new ways to improve aerodynamics.)

“Every design choice was optimized for aero and energy efficiency, even the panoramic glass roof contributes to exceptional aerodynamics. It allowed us to reduce the vehicle height at critical air detachment points by 12 mm — while maintaining ample headroom inside, courtesy of the e-dimming functionality,” Program Design Director Nobutaka Tase said.

“For all regions, the value is aided by the adoption of flush door handles, an active grille shutter, optimized wheel design, flat underfloor and fastback silhouette with the rear liftback supporting an airfoil effect,” Nissan adds.

Well beyond some simple body style changes, it appears a lot was updated and they went through every inch of the vehicle in detail to find ways to put it at the front of class.

“Beyond EV intenders and innovators we wanted the all-new Nissan LEAF to offer a truly credible alternative to combustion vehicles. We wanted it to balance emotional and rational appeal, ensuring it looks sleek and bold, whilst meeting the real-world needs of families with thoughtful design,” Richard Candler, vice president of global product strategy, added.

Here’s more from Nissan on design updates:

“The available dimming panoramic roof with heat shielding eliminates the need for physical blinds or sunshades, which can compromise headroom, especially in the rear seat.

“Electrochromic technology allows owners to enjoy year-round comfort at the touch of a button by adjusting the glass’s transparency and the amount of light entering the cabin through the movement of ions within its layered structure. Additionally, the panoramic roof features an infrared (IR) reflective coating that reduces sun load.”

The new LEAF is also based on Nissan’s new CMF-EV platform.

Stay tuned for updates.