2013 Nissan Leaf gets update and added range

Nissan is pushing for bigger sales numbers for their electric car, the Leaf, by introducing a few changes to the car itself and increased distribution.

Nissan says the 2013 Leaf will get substantial changes, like a better heater, a darker-colour interior and leather seats.

They also say buyers may not see much change on the fuel-economy rating, but in cold-weather conditions they may see upto 40 km improvement in range.

Nissan plans to make the car available to the European markets and the US. The new Leaf will be manufactured in Smyrna, Tennessee, in the United States.

Although Nissan managed to sell over 1000 units of the Leafs in a few months during 2011, they could only manage 676 units in January 2012 and in February the figure dropped to 478, well below their expected sales figure of 2,000 units a month.

The Nissan Leaf is powered by a 107 hp electric motor that doubles as a electric generator while braking. This regenerative braking gives it added range. In total, 7 hours of charging allows the car to travel 160 km It is not known when or if Nissan’s EV will be sold in UAE, as they have one in Dubai for testing, but there is a specialist rental company that rents out this zero-emissions hatchback here already.