2016 Nissan LEAF May Get 25% Bigger Battery, 105 Mile Range

We’re now almost halfway through 2015, but we haven’t heard all that much regarding to second-generation Nissan LEAF, and we may not for some time. According to InsideEVs though, the current-generation Nissan LEAF could get a 30 kWh battery pack on high-end models, offering up to 105 miles of driving range per charge.

InsideEVs cites two unspecified dealerships as confirming that this fall, the 2016 Nissan LEAF will come to market with a 30 kWh battery, which is 25% larger than the 24 kWh pack currently used. This battery will up driving range to as much as 105 miles per charge on the EPA testing method, up from just 73 miles right now. The base model S trim will still have the 24 kWh pack, but the SV and SL packages will benefit not just from the 6.6 kw fast charger, but the bigger battery as well, and SL trims have a CHaDEMO quick-charge port as well.

With 105 miles per charge, the 2016 Nissan LEAF would have the most driving range of any EV not built by Tesla Motors, and hopefully help Nissan boost slipping sales. While 2014 was a watershed year for LEAF sales, 2015 has is off to a much slower start thanks to new competitors like the 2016 Chevy Volt, BMW i3, and Kia Soul EV. There are also other implications of this move though.

Generally speaking, automakers don’t make big upgrades like this if a vehicle is nearing replacement soon. While many had assumed that the 2016 Nissan LEAF would be the last before the next-gen debuted, what if this move is meant to extend the production lifecycle of the current model? The next-gen LEAF may not be ready for its big debut, prompting Nissan to offer this placeholder upgrade instead. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has gone on the record as saying the next LEAF will offer at least 150 miles of range per charge, and maybe up to 250. But if the replacement model isn’t ready yet, then Nissan may have to stretch the first-generation’s life longer than intended.

On the other hand, perhaps Nissan is merely testing the waters and seeing how consumers respond to having battery size options. Tesla has offered this option from the get-go, and maybe Nissan is moving away from its one-battery-fits-all philosophy.

I will say this; a 105 mile driving range for the LEAF makes it a much more tempting, and practical, transportation solution. I’d wager I could do 99% of my daily driving with 105 miles of driving range at my disposal. Could you?