Nissan Rolls Out Redesigned Leaf EV

Nissan Motor Co. has given its gawky Leaf electric sedan—the world’s best-selling EV—a major makeover that delivers zippier hatchback styling and improved performance to match.

The car will debut in Japan next month and in Europe and the U.S. in January. The car’s base price will be about $30,000.

The updated model arrives as the EV market is expanding rapidly with new models—many of which outperform the original Leaf. But Nissan predicts the new version will enable it to double sales for the 7-year-old EV.

The new Leaf can travel about 150 miles on a charge (40% farther than the original car), thanks to a 40-kWh battery that provides one-third more capacity. The car’s propulsion motor’s output jumps to 100 kW from 80 kW, and torque climbs 26%. Nissan says a higher-performance version with a range in excess of 225 miles will be added in 2018.

Nissan is equipping the new Leaf with expanded connectivity and the company’s ProPilot Assist limited self-driving system. The car also offers e-Pedal, a system that enables a single foot pedal to control both acceleration and braking.

Nissan says the updated Leaf will help it boost EV sales to 1.5 million units—a goal it once hoped to achieve last year. The company has sold about 300,000 EVs to date.