Nissan Leaf Electric Car: Second Generation Review

By: Anas Assaf

February 5,2018

3 min read

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Introduction

Recently, we traveled to Tenerife, Spain, to attend the international launch and test drive of the second generation of the Nissan Leaf. While the event was primarily aimed at the European market, automotive journalists from the Gulf region were also invited to experience what Nissan refers to as "the future," a project they have been developing for the past seven years.

Nissan's Expectations

According to Nissan representatives at the event, the brand has very high expectations for this electric vehicle, fully committing to its development, promotion, and distribution worldwide. This enthusiasm was evident not only in their words but also on their faces during the event. Such occasions are fantastic to participate in, as they not only showcase how they engage with journalists but also allow us to converse with the men and women who built this car over dinner and constructive discussion sessions.

The First Generation of the Nissan Leaf

Now, let's discuss the car a bit. Given the rising importance of electric mobility, I thought it would be fair to write a final article about the previous generation, the "first" Nissan Leaf. Understanding more about this model will provide a better perspective on the new second generation at its launch in the Middle East. By the end of this article, we should give this electric car the respect it deserves for being the most popular electric vehicle in local and regional markets over the past seven years.

Success of the First Generation

The first generation of the Nissan Leaf has been the best-selling and fastest-growing electric car globally, receiving numerous awards such as:

European Car of the Year
Japanese Car of the Year
World Car of the Year

But the question remains: Will the second generation be able to continue this remarkable success?

First Generation Statistics

Since its initial launch, over 300,000 units of the old Leaf (as I like to call it) have been sold worldwide, primarily in the Americas, Japan, and Europe. To put this into perspective, selling 300,000 Leaf cars means saving over 3.9 billion kilometers worth of fuel and preventing more than 1.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions from entering our atmosphere.

Meaning of the LEAF Name

Do you know what the name LEAF stands for?

Leading: The leading electric vehicle.
Environmentally friendly: An eco-friendly car.
Affordable: A reasonably priced vehicle.
Family car: A family-friendly car.

I'm sure they interpreted the name of their car after the first generation's success, but the clever minds at Nissan managed to connect the letters to characteristics that define a good car.

Welcoming the Second Generation

It’s time to bid farewell to the first generation of the Nissan Leaf and welcome the second generation, which has received over 100 new modifications compared to its predecessor. The wonderful aspect is that all these changes were based on feedback from Nissan Leaf owners over the past seven years.