Compared to gasoline-powered vehicles, there aren’t very many fully electric vehicles out there. However, the 2021 Nissan LEAF is making waves across the auto industry. First released back in 2011, the LEAF underwent a major redesign in 2018. Now in its second-generation, the latest model is more impressive than ever before. If you have been thinking about getting an electric car, then this Nissan product should be on your radar. Here are the top 8 coolest features on the 2021 Nissan LEAF.
#8 – Cargo Room
When you think about environmentally-friendly vehicles like hybrids and EVs, you may be under the impression that they don’t have much space. Most people think that the addition of electric motors and batteries eats up the cargo area. However, this is simply untrue. The 2021 Nissan LEAF offers 23.6 cubic feet of cargo room. While it does have seating for five people, the back seats are 60/40 split-folding. This allows you to lay the back row down to expand the cargo area up to 30 cubic feet. There is also an available cargo cover to help you keep your belongings organized and protected from prying eyes.
#7 – Connectivity
While some tech features may vary depending on the trim level, you can expect to find the NissanConnect infotainment system inside the 2021 Nissan LEAF. Displayed on a standard 8-inch touchscreen, you can customize the home page to look the way you want. It works like a tablet, and you can even make shortcuts to your favorite programs and functions. This interface works with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto and provides a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. Some models also included the Nissan Door to Door Navigation System which enables you to plot a route to your destination.
#6 – Emergency Braking
The 2021 Nissan LEAF comes with the Safety Shield 360. This suite of advanced safety features is designed to help prevent accidents on the road. The most notable system included in the suite is automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Through the use of advanced sensors, this system monitors both the distance and relative speed between your LEAF and the car in front of you. Not only will it alert you if you need to slow down to avoid an impact, but it will even stop the vehicle automatically to prevent an impending collision with another vehicle or a pedestrian.
Safety Shield 360 even includes rear automatic braking, which works similarly to the emergency braking system. The difference is that it monitors the space behind the LEAF when reversing. If an obstacle is detected directly behind, the system will be triggered. This will bring your vehicle to a complete stop before crashing into or running over the obstacle.
#5 – Blind Spot Warnings
On the 2021 Nissan LEAF, the rear cross-traffic alert system works with the rear automatic braking system. However, it not only houses the camera and sensors that feed information to the braking system, it also alerts you to traffic approaching at an angle. In other words, this system will detect oncoming vehicles when you are trying to back out of a parking space or driveway.
Another great feature included in the Safety Shield 360 suite is blind-spot monitoring. Using cameras and sensors, this function will let you know when another vehicle has entered into your blind spot on a multilane road. Hatchbacks like the LEAF tend to have very large blind spots. Entire trucks can disappear for a split second, which can be deadly. This system lets you know that it is not safe to change lanes at the moment.
#4 – Lane-Departure Warning
Another valuable safety feature in the 2021 Nissan LEAF is lane departure warning. By using cameras to monitor the road markings, your LEAF can alert you if you begin to drift out of your lane. Even better, the steering assist feature will gently guide the vehicle back to where it needs to be, preventing dangerous situations from occurring.
#3 – High Beam Assist
Have you ever been driving on the highway at night and were suddenly blinded by an oncoming vehicle’s bright lights? Well, the final safety feature in the Safety Shield 360 helps to stop you from doing that to other drivers. Known as high beam assist, this technology will automatically toggle between low and high beams depending on the traffic around you. As long as no other vehicles are detected in front of you, you can drive with the high beams on. As soon as another vehicle is detected, the system will toggle the high-beams off to prevent the other driver from being temporarily blinded.
#2 – Two Battery Choices
With gasoline-powered vehicles, sometimes buyers can choose from more than one engine, depending on their needs. This freedom hasn’t been an option on most EV models until recently. Luckily for you, the 2021 Nissan LEAF can be fitted with two different batteries that give you varying driving ranges. The standard is a 40 kWh battery pack that provides you with 147 hp and a driving range of 149 miles. This one is perfect if you live close to your place of work. The second battery option is the 62 kWh battery pack. Generating 214 hp, you can travel for up to 226 miles on a single charge. With this option selected, the LEAF can truly be a do-it-all vehicle capable of longer road trips.
As for charging, there is some difference here too. If you charge the battery at home with a 240V outlet, the 40 kWh battery will be full in 8 hours. In the same scenario, the larger 62 kWh battery will be fully charged in 11.5 hours. If you need to charge faster, you can use a DC Quick Charging station to replenish the energy stores up to 80% in 40 minutes for the 40 kWh battery and 60 minutes for the 62 kWh battery. It’s also worth noting that the batteries are covered by the Nissan LEAF Limited Battery Warranty, which lasts for an impressive 96 months or 100,000 miles.
#1 – e-Pedal
Finally, the coolest feature on the new 2021 Nissan LEAF is the e-Pedal. While conventional vehicles have a gas pedal and a brake pedal, the new LEAF can be driven with the e-Pedal alone. That’s right. It only needs one pedal to do both functions. While the LEAF still has a conventional brake pedal for sudden stops, you can set up the vehicle to decelerate when you lift off the “gas.” This makes braking and accelerating a lot of fun and generates a bit of extra electricity to recharge your battery.
Find a 2021 Nissan LEAF Near You
Aside from all of the cool features we just covered, the 2021 Nissan LEAF has a lot of benefits. No gas, no emissions, no oil changes, and no tune-ups make it one of the cleanest and most convenient vehicles on the roads today. You will save quite a bit of money on fuel, and you will be helping to save the planet along the way. Plus, you don’t have to worry about spending time at the mechanic’s for oil changes, fluid top-offs, or timing belt and spark plug replacements. This nifty ride requires much less maintenance than conventional vehicles. When you go out, you will also have access to preferred parking so that you can charge the vehicle, and many states allow you to enjoy the benefits of the HOV lane even when driving alone. Get in touch with your local Nissan dealer to find a 2021 Nissan LEAF today!
