A larger battery means it takes longer to charge. Whereas Nissan says the smaller, 24-kWh battery can be recharged from a 220-volt system in as little as 5 hours, juicing up the new 30-kWh battery will take 6 hours. Drivers might find that a small price to pay for an extra 23 miles of driving range.
Although the battery pack is larger, the electric drive motor in the 2016 Nissan Leaf is unchanged, with 107 hp and 187 lb-ft of torque. The rest of the car, however, gets a few more tweaks, including a new standard NissanConnect 5.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system on the Leaf S, and a new 7.0-inch system with navigation on the Leaf SV and SL. There are also three new exterior color choices: Forged bronze, coulis red, and deep blue pearl.
Pricing for the 2016 Nissan Leaf starts at $29,860 with destination for the S model, while moving up to the larger battery will set buyers back $35,050 for the SV trim level and $37,640. All prices exclude any applicable tax credits.
