When Nissan introduced the Leaf in 2011, it was more of a curiosity than a viable EV. The original Leaf came with a 24 kWh battery that delivered a measly 73 miles of range (EPA) and was neither heated or cooled. It looked futuristic but also dorky, and didn’t strike much excitement for anyone beyond EV early adopters and green energy enthusiasts. But it was the first battery EV sold in the US, and it cost a reasonable $32,780.
Over the years, the Leaf gained more range, but was quickly surpassed by pricier Tesla EVs (Model S in 2012, Model X in 2015, and Model 3 in 2017) and by the $37,495 Chevrolet Bolt in 2016. Between its compliance car-like range, lack of battery conditioning, non-standard DC fast-charging port (ChaDeMo), and appliance-like road manners, the Leaf quickly lost its appeal. And the second-gen Leaf in 2018 didn’t address these limitations.
