With a name that means, “Leading, Environmental-friendly, Affordable Family vehicle,” the Leaf is the undisputed EV leader, selling more than 500,000 examples in ten years. Packing an all-electric motor driving the front wheels, the Leaf produces a healthy 150 horsepower and 320 Nm of torque. Together with its 40-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, it can go up to 311 kilometers between charges—enough for a typical Manila commute.

It can be charged through a conventional outlet, and this takes around 15 to 18 hours. However, owners will have the option of installing a wall box that reduces that time to between 5 to 7 hours. A quick charging station drops it even further to just 40 to 60 minutes.

However, more than just being a poster child for zero emissions vehicles, the Leaf is also the embodiment of Nissan Intelligent Mobility.

Part of this is its unique e-Pedal technology. It allows the driver the simplicity of starting, accelerating, decelerating, stopping, and holding the car by just using the accelerator pedal alone. By simply releasing the accelerator, the car will come to a complete stop and hold itself without the need to press the brake pedal. It eliminates the need for drivers to constantly move their foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal reducing fatigue.

It also comes with Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Forward Emergency Braking (FEB), Driver Attention Alert (DAA), adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning with lane intervention, and a 360-degree camera with moving object detection. This is on top of the typical 6 SRS airbags, ABS with EBD, and electric stability control which incorporates hill start assist.

With a shape dictated by aerodynamics, the Leaf has a low co-efficient of drag at 0.28. The distinctively shaped hatchback comes with halogen headlights and 205/55R16 tires as standard. Inside, it gets an 8-inch display audio system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a push-start smart entry system.

Given the (currently) limited appeal of electric vehicles, Nissan has made the right move and made the Leaf available only through selected dealerships. For the Philippines, its first-ever all-electric vehicle will only be available through the Gateway Motors Group: 

Not only will they be responsible for sale and aftersales service of the Leaf, but they will also install quick chargers at their dealerships. The Leaf comes with a 3-year / 100,000-kilometer warranty, while the battery has a 8-year / 160,000-kilometer warranty. It is available in four colors, all with a Pearl Black Roof: Gun Metallic, Vivid Blue, Magnetic Red, and Pearl White.

While the price does seem prohibitive, Nissan Philippines says the running cost is lower: P 1.17 per kilometer, compared to a conventionally-powered gasoline compact car at P 2.08 per kilometer. The cost of maintenance is as much as 23 percent lower than a mid-sized car during a 5-year period.

Check out our first impressions of the Nissan Leaf here.