The competition in the electric vehicle market looks to be heating up, with Tesla handing over the first batch of Model 3 last month and Nissan's unintended leak of the second generation Leaf electric car to be launched in September. If the statistics from the leak are accurate, the Tesla car edges out the Leaf in range and battery capacity, but is also pricier.
The leak of the new Nissan Leaf's details comes from Autobytel which appears to have accidentally uploaded the specifications to its live site ahead of schedule. The motor of the next generation Leaf has a capacity of 40 kWh, which is a 33 percent upgrade from the original Leaf's 30 kWh capacity.
This pegs the new Leaf at a range of 143 miles, a considerable improvement from the original model's 107 miles. However, it still isn't quite up to par with the Tesla Model 3 range which is pegged at 220 miles, thanks to its larger capacity battery which has a 50 kWh capacity.
The mistakenly published information also included some information on the pricing of the new Leaf. The basic version of the new car could start for as low as $29,990. That is roughly a $5,000 savings compared to the Model 3, which starts at $35,000.
Customers who want to buy the next generation Leaf can also opt to get its new ProPilot semi-autonomous system, which will help drivers stay in their lane. Adding this feature will up the price to $38,795.
The Model 3 also has its own autopilot feature that uses sensors to change lanes without input from the driver, park the car by itself, and change speed depending on the traffic conditions. This feature can be availed for another addition of $5,0000.
The physical features of the Leaf remain a mystery as the company has only teased the car's aerodynamic design which will help it maximize its efficiency and range.
