Nissan has finally jumped on the Android Auto bandwagon and its 2018 Leaf is going to be the first model to come with Android Auto. The vehicle is currently up for reserve – and actually Nissan is offering some cool gifts if you reserve the 2018 Leaf now, including an Apple Watch, a GoPro HERO 5 or a Nest/Google Home bundle. The 2018 Nissan Leaf is getting both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay so both Android and iOS users will be happy with this model, and it’ll be available in the beginning of 2018.
The 2018 Leaf is actually a bit cheaper than the current 2017 Leaf, coming in at a starting price of $29,999. Which means, since it is a fully electric vehicle, it is competing directly with the Chevy Bolt. However, the 2018 Leaf doesn’t quite have the range of the Bolt. While the Chevy Bolt has a range of around 238 miles on a charge, the 2018 Leaf is stuck with around 150 miles on a charge. Which is thanks to its 40kWh battery that is included.
Nissan has redesigned the Leaf for the 2018 model year. Thanks to the new aerodynamic exterior design, drivers will get a more roomy interior, but also a Leaf that can go a bit further with less power. Offering up better driving range than the 2017 model year. This is all part of Nissan’s signature design language, and the interior also has been revamped and now offers advanced telematics systems. Nissan has also introduced ProPILOT Assist. This is a great feature for those that are often stuck in traffic. ProPILOT Assist can keep your car at a safe distance from the one in front of you, keep you in your lane and even bring the Leaf to a complete stop if needed. Allowing you to sit back and relax while you’re stuck in traffic on your way to work in the morning.
There’s also the NissanConnect EV app, which has been revamped for the 2018 Leaf. It allows you to now keep tabs on your vehicle when you’re away from it. Of course, you can do the usual things like locking and unlocking the doors, starting the engine and such. But you can also keep tabs on its battery. You’ll be able to see how full the battery is – which also shows you how many miles you can drive at its current state. It’ll show you when it should be completely charged and much more. The app is available for both Android and iOS, there’s no word on whether it’ll get support for voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or the Google Assistant.
Nissan’s 2018 Leaf is looking like a real winner for a great, inexpensive EV. The Leaf is going to be available in three trims. There’s the entry-level S trim which starts at $29,990. Then there is the SV trim which jumps up to $32,490, and then the SL trim which jumps up to $36,200 and it has all of the bells and whistles you’d expect. Nissan hasn’t said exactly when in 2018 the Leaf would be available, just that it’ll be available in early 2018. You can likely expect a more firm launch date at the North American International Auto Show which takes place in January, and will see plenty of 2018 model year vehicles getting announced and becoming available.
