5 Electric Cars Compared To The Nissan LEAF

LEAF vs BMW i3

It goes without saying that as a 100% electric vehicle there is no road tax for either vehicle. One of the added benefits of going fully electric. Reviewing the pricing when comparing a Nissan LEAF to the BMW i3. The LEAF offers a lower price point as Nissan offers 2 battery sizes across the grades where BMW only offer 1, this reflects in the price. The larger battery size produced by the LEAF offers a longer range by an extra 46-miles. Handy to help you go further for less. You’ll find yourself going further, faster with the LEAF with its higher power output. On top of all this, the LEAF can cost you less with Nissan’s ‘Vehicle 2 Grid’ scheme. We move on to the practicality of the compact electric car. The LEAF offers a boot space larger than the i3 by 175-litres, that's a vast difference. Both electric vehicles are built with 4 doors but one vehicle is more practical than the other. To access the rear seats in the i3, you'll need to open the front drivers and passengers doors just so you can access the rear passenger seats. You want to buy a car that offers a high spec as standard. This is where the LEAF steps in, as the BMW i3 only offers LED headlights, Park Assist and Premium Audio as optional extras. This could break your budget.

LEAF vs Hyundai KONA EV

The price points for these 2 electric vehicles are in the same range when including the government grants. They both offer 2 battery sizes due to the grade choices, these offer roughly the same kWh. The KONA EV does, however, offer a longer range for the grade with a 64kWh battery. You’ll be able to go an extra 40-miles further on your journey. Looking at the interior of the Hyundai Kona, the material quality is basic. If you sit in the front of the car and look around there are about five plastics used which make up the dashboard alone. Comparing this to the Nissan LEAF, the material is somewhat the same. Their technology features differ, while the Nissan LEAF has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard to enhance the journey experience. The Hyundai Kona doesn't come with as many technical features as the LEAF, you are missing a ProPILOT. The LEAF is a far better handling car in its steering and grip. The Hyundai Kona generates more tyre noise, especially on the motorway. Not only that, but there have been reports that drivers can feel small bumps at all speeds on the road.

LEAF vs Kia e-Nero

One main feature of the Kia e-Nero that must be highlighted is the battery size of 64kWh placing it to the top of all cars. These changes mean the batteries powering our electric vehicles hold more kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy and are achieving longer ranges per charge, making them more practical for more people. We're keeping an eye on which vehicles have the biggest batteries as that is a great indicator of range and relative price. The Kia e-Nero has the longest range of 282 miles making it a relatively reliable car for long journeys if anything is faulty with the battery you have a 7-year warranty just 1 year less than the leaf. The boot capacity is slightly larger than the leaf by 16-litres, you can fit all your belongings in for the journey. However, the e-Nero has very short service intervals of just 10k miles in comparison to the LEAF which has a service interval of 18,000-miles. The e-Nero only offers one grade option, there is no offer of a standard entry-level model. With seven airbags, electronic stability management, lane keep assist, blind-spot cruise control and autonomous braking you will feel very safe in the Kia e-Nero. Similarly, The LEAF is packed with about every active safety technology which Nissan offers. The Nissan LEAF recently received a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, tested to 2019’s standards.

LEAF vs MG ZS EV

The battery size of the MG ZS EV is 44kWh, the high weight hurts the range despite the weight of the battery. When the Nissan leaf initially launched the battery size was 40kWh. It now offers a 62kWh option meaning it has a larger range of up to 239-miles versus 163-miles against the MG ZS EV. Nissan and MG use a new type of control system, the all-new innovative e-pedal. This is a single pedal to accelerate, slow down and stop. The e-Pedal is used to give the car energy using regenerative braking. This is where under braking or deceleration, the energy created by the movement of the car is recycled back to the batteries, where it is used to recharge them. Using the e-Pedal gives you more range. Although the MG ZS offers these fantastic driving features such as the e-pedal. It has been reported that the MG ZS has poor ride quality due to the driving position offering low adjustment. Not only this but when the car was being tested it did body-roll due to ride height.

LEAF vs VW e-Golf

The VW e-golf is set to be released in 2020 with a high entry price of £30,340 for the basic model. Only one grade is available when it comes to the VW e-Golf. Most technology features are options having no rearview camera, LED headlights, sat-nav pro, park assist, keyless entry or heat pack. Considering that the Nissan LEAF you’ll get all of this and more including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Nissan LEAF starting price is lower at £27,995. Rival VW e-Golf offers a less powerful battery at 36kWh, this is a lot lower when compared to the LEAF’s 40kWh & 62kWh batteries. Whilst e-Golf takes the lead when it comes to the WTLP range comparing to the standard LEAF. The larger battery capacity LEAF offers a longer range by 53-miles when compared to VW’s electric car. These extra miles can make all the difference when you’re on a long journey and relieve you from range anxiety - it’s a new expression to describe the terror of running out of electricity knowing that your fully electric car will get you to your destination. The VW e-Golf has a smaller boot capacity by 94-litres. In the rear, there’s room for two adults to sit across the back seats comfortably. There is much more room inside than the BMW i3 and Nissan LEAF.

Power is a big player in the electric car market. People fear that they will be driving around in an electric milk float been overtaken by a cyclist. With the LEAF this isn’t the case, reviewing the power output across all 6 vehicles the LEAF hands down outperforms all other electric cars on the road by 13PS. No more fear for drivers, you have the performance driving on a motorway or around town. Overall, the whole purpose of an electric car is to help reduce harmful air pollution from exhaust emissions. An EV has zero exhaust emissions. There is also a trend towards more eco-friendly products and materials for EVs. The Nissan LEAF's interior and bodywork are partly made out of green materials such as recycled water bottles, plastic bags, old car parts and even second-hand home appliances.