
Nissan is readying a new lithium-ion chemistry for its Leaf electric car, aimed at better range performance in hot-weather climates. And it's likely bound for all Leaf models in the first half of next year.
Last week at the Tokyo Motor Show, Andy Palmer, Nissan's executive vice president and global marketing chief, confirmed that the new chemistry will probably be implemented soon.
While the new chemistry won't provide any official improvement over the EPA-rated 84-mile range, it will produce real-world range improvement—and less degradation of capacity—for those in extremely hot climates, such as Arizona and Texas.
Although Palmer couldn't yet give an exact 'job one' on the new packs, he did say that things are looking good for the changeover, and this month the company will be making some key decisions regarding how to implement the new chemistry. A final testing period is about to conclude, he explained.
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