The next-gen Nissan Leaf is set to get newly-developed batteries that could increase its range two-fold, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has said in a Tokyo Business News interview on Japanese TV, according to a Daily Kanban report.
Based on the Japanese fuel economy test cycle, the latest Nissan Leaf has an all-electric range of 228 km. However, in the US and Europe, it’s rated at 134 km and 195 km respectively.
According to the report, the host asked Ghosn if Nissan is working on new batteries and if the Leaf’s range will then double to exceed 400 km, and the CEO replied to all in the affirmative.
An unnamed source told the publication that the carmaker has been extensively researching battery technology, and that the said new battery delivers twice the capacity while costing and weighing less.
The report adds that last year, Nissan’s technical centre in Barcelona tested a prototype equipped with a 48 kWh battery – that’s double the current Leaf’s 24 kWh battery.
Some time ago, then-Nissan chief planning officer Andy Palmer (now Aston Martin CEO) told CarAdvice that the next-gen Leaf will feature advanced battery technology, and that any new battery for future EVs will have to provide a range of at least 300 km.
