Nissan Leaf production begins in Japan: This electric car is expected to ship in 2018

Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer Nissan has started the production of electric car Nissan Leaf . The electric car, according to a report in Gears of Biz, is expected to be shipped in 2018. The car is in production in the Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Japan.

The Nissan Leaf 2017 is available in three variants starting at $30,680 in the US. The three variants include the Leaf S, SV and SL are priced at $30,680, $34,200 and $36,790 in the US market. The engine of all the variants provides same power of 107 HP, but differ in interior features. The Nissan Leaf runs on an 80 KW AC synchronous Electric Motor with a 30 kWh lithium-ion battery. It comes with a 3.6 kW on-board charger. Its a Zero Emission Vehicle that features a single speed reduction gear, 'Palm-shift' drive selector, hill start assist, front and rear vented disc brakes and four wheel anti-lock braking system.

The higher-priced variant Leaf SL comes with leather-finished interiors and more added specifications such as automatic on/off LED low-beam headlights, leather-appointed seats and heated rear seats.

Other features of the Leaf variants includes NissanConnect, a 7-inch color display with navigation and mobile apps. B-mode regenerative braking drive mode that captures energy while brakes are applied. It also comes with a quick charging port, vehicle dynamic control, a tyre pressure monitoring system and traction control system in all the variants.