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I was participating in a discussion at SF Bay Area Nissan LEAF Owners public group on Facebook asking a question about Nissan LEAF vs Toyota Prius when a long term LEAF owner Kelly Richard Olsen posted the following reply about the hopes that Nissan LEAF with a 200 miles range will come in 2017. Here is Olsen in his own words putting 2017 Nissan LEAF in direct competition vs 2017 Chevy Bolt.
This is what I heard from a reliable insider this week. 2017 model will be exactly the same as the 2016. The 2nd Gen with a new body style and the larger battery giving at least 200 mile range will be the 2018 model year and will be released at the end of 2017.
Basically confirming what many have speculated, although, I was greatly hoping that the '17 would be the 200 mile car and be out in January.
I think Nissan is going to lose a bunch of people to the 200 mile Chevy Bolt which will be out about one full year before the 200 mile LEAF. I don't think I'm willing to wait another 18 months to get to a 200 mile car, especially since my '13 lease extension is only good until June of '17 and I'm losing battery capacity.
If Chevy has some kind of promotion for LEAF owners to encourage us to cross over, I might be one of those people this December when they are expected to release the Bolt. Would hate to give up Chademo for SAE, but for 200 miles a year sooner, I think I'd do it.
Also See: Chevrolet Bolt EV Packs 200hp, 266tq and 200 Miles of Electric Range. The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt is expected to reach dealerships before the end of 2016.
What are your thoughts? Is the Chevy Bolt the real competition for the 2017 and 2018 Nissan LEAFs?
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Comments
Our lease on the Leaf is up
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Our lease on the Leaf is up in April next year. If there isn't a 200m Leaf by then, we are going Bolt. If Chevy comes up with a better plan or incentive to change before that, we will go faster. Unfortunately, we can't wait until 2018. It's not an option.
My 2003 Accord may hold up
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My 2003 Accord may hold up till 2018, and my LEAF is good for ever? but if I could get a two-year lease on a Bolt, till my T3 is available, I'd take it. I love my LEAF, but I feel, Nissan missed this boat.
I don't think "Nissan has
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In reply to My 2003 Accord may hold up by john (not verified)
I don't think "Nissan has missed the boat" until Chevy actually HAS a 200 mile EV to sell; talk is cheap.
And Nissan may a surprise out of the hat to pre-empt loss of loyal customers.
2011 LEAF
Anthony
Bay Area
Yes "Anthony" talk is cheap.
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Yes "Anthony" talk is cheap. That's all Nissan has at this point. GM on the other hand has preproduction BOLTS out testing and making appearances at numerous auto shows.
Hardly, with the many
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In reply to Yes "Anthony" talk is cheap. by mike w (not verified)
Hardly, with the many thousands of LEAF's on the road now, it's as simple as a battery upgrade to a higher capacity 200-mile pack when the current one loses sufficient capacity.
Overall, we are happy with our Leaf(55k EV miles), and a 200-mile battery will make it an even better vehicle.
Pre-production vehicles are just that. Made in Korea, correct?
Anthony, the higher capacity
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Anthony, the higher capacity battery won't fit into the existing Leaf and I'm pretty sure it's going to take new electronics. The picture I've seen of that 60Kwh battery means a lot less storage in the back. In fact, I'm also pretty sure that you can't even get the 30Kwh battery to upgrade from your 24Kwh battery yet although that should be an easier swap and reprogramming. At least it's the same physical size as far as I know. More than likely Nissan will sell out all the 24Kwh batteries and make the 30Kwh battery the base model.
Until someone mainstreams the next generation Lithium battery with something like an iron-core anode, battery density isn't going to get much better for another 2-3 years.
Another issue re: LEAF
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Another issue re: LEAF batteries, is that Nissan has gone to a rectangular cube design battery, while TESLA has gone with a cylindrical battery design, so depending upon the design of the battery, the space for them in the EV is different. i.e. Nissan may change their battery shape.