We get aggressive with Nissan LEAF and hit a top speed of 95 mph

October 25, 2010October 29, 2011 Omar Rana 2011, Compact Cars, electric-cars, electric-vehicles, Nissan LEAF

During the media test drive of the 2011 Nissan LEAF last week in Nashville, Tennessee, we had some aggressive fun with the Japanese automaker’s new electric-car.

According to Nissan, the LEAF’s 107-hp electric-motor delivers 100 miles on a single charge with a top speed of 87 mph. Instead of being ‘green friendly’ and being civilized in our driving technique, we decided to get a little aggressive with the LEAF and drive it with an enthusiasts style state-of-mind.

Riding shotgun with Chris Allen from AutoBytel, we ended up hitting a top speed of 95 mph. We really didn’t get the chance to check a 0-60 mph run, but we did notice that the LEAF is very torquey and zippy from standstill to 0-35 mph.

After whipping a fully charged 2011 LEAF around Nashville for 30 miles with the stereo and heater on, we managed to return the electric-car to Nissan with 46 miles left. As far as ‘range-anxiety’ goes, Allen and I really didn’t feel threatened by the LEAF’s range display. We felt pretty confident that we would make it back to Nissan’s headquarters without a problem or having the battery die on us somewhere in the boondocks of Tennessee.

So do we recommend you purchase the LEAF as your daily commuter car? Find out on Wednesday when we publish our first impressions from our test-drive.

Refresher: Power for the Nissan LEAF comes from a 107-hp electric-motor that runs on power supplied by lithium-ion cells. On a full-charge, the Nissan LEAF allows for a driving range of 100 miles with a top speed of 87 mph. A full charge takes up to 8 hours on a standard 200V outlet. Buyers can opt for the DC 50kW quick-charger, which recharges the battery up to 80 percent in under 30 minutes. Prices for the 2011 Nissan LEAF will start at $32,780 but with a federal tax-credit prices will come in as low as $25,280, or for a lease payment of $349 a month.