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Nissan unveils shape of next-gen all-electric Leaf, boasts about aerodynamic performance

While we got our first good look at the next generation Nissan Leaf without camouflage through some spy shots this week, the Japanese automaker keeps gradually unveiling the all-electric vehicle with teasers.

Now Nissan unveils the shape of next-gen Leaf with a teaser pictured above and boasts about aerodynamic performance.

A new more energy dense battery pack is expected to enable a longer range in the next Leaf, but Nissan says that it will also be enabled through better aerodynamic performance.

They wrote in a press release:

“The redesigned next-generation Nissan LEAF is lower to the ground, helping it realize zero lift for better stability at high speeds. Other new design features significantly stabilize the car when hit by strong crosswinds. Inspired by airplane wings, Nissan engineers recreated the ideal shape for the new LEAF, enabling a symmetric air flow that helps it slice through the air for a smoother, more efficient journey.”

Nissan also included this video:

Several electric automakers have been focusing on aerodynamic performance to improve efficiency and consequently to increase range.

Tesla had been aiming to reach a record drag coefficient of 0.21 for the Model 3, but they confirmed last week that the production version achieved 0.23.

In comparison, the current Nissan achieved a drag coefficient of 0.29. The company didn’t confirm the aerodynamic performance of the next generation Leaf.

A recent prototype spotted showed a range of 165 miles (265km) on a single charge, which is significantly more than the current range, but less than the expected 200+ mile range that has been rumored for the next generation.

The full vehicle is due to be unveiled in September. Over the past few months, Nissan has been gradually teasing images and features of the vehicle, most recently the ‘e-Pedal’ feature . Here are a few more teasers and features:

Surprisingly, Nissan openly talking about upcoming features on its next generation Leaf should affect the current sales, but the company had record deliveries for the year in the US in June and they remain steady – mainly due to heavily discounting its current Leaf inventories. If you can live with the shorter range, pre-refresh design, and without those latest features that they have been teasing, it can prove a cheap way to get into EV ownership.  You can check with your local Nissan dealer for Leafs in their inventories.

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Avatar for Fred Lambert Fred Lambert

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