New Nissan Leaf gets 5-star safety rating in Japan

Nissan’s best selling electric vehicle ‘Leaf’ and its icon for the Nissan Intelligent Mobility has received five-star safety rating from the Japan New Car Assessment Program.

The new Nissan Leaf earned the top grade, scoring 94.8 points out of the possible 100 for occupant safety in a collision. The program was organised by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the National Agency for Automotive Safety and Victims' Aid.

The 100 percent electric car went on sale in Japan in October 2017 and is planned to be introduced in more than 60 markets around the world. The new Leaf comes with a host of advanced safety features include its highly rigid body structure, six SRS airbags, seats with enforced headrests and back frames, and seat belts with pre-tensioners and load-limiting capabilities for the front and rear outboard seating positions.

The EV also passed the Japan New Car Assessment Program's electric shock protection test, which gauges how well electric vehicles protect occupants from electric shock in a collision. The car which has a highly protective battery case, a layout and body structure that shield occupants from high-voltage parts, and a high-voltage cut-off device that activates in case of a collision.

The Leaf was first introduced in 2010 and Nissan claims it is the world's best-selling electric vehicle. The new version comes with a number of advanced technologies including ProPilot technology for autonomous single-lane driving on highways and the ProPilot Park autonomous parking system. It also features e-Pedal, which lets drivers accelerate and brake by operating only the accelerator pedal.

As is known, the Japanese carmaker is keen to bring the Nissan Leaf to India and is in talks with the government for subsidies to make the pricing economical for the Indian consumer. With an estimated asking price of around Rs 50 lakh (ex-showroom), the Leaf isn't going to be cheap but will function as a technology demonstrator for the company in India. The EV will be brought to our shores as a completely built unit (CBU) and therefore attracts a high import duty.