No, the footage you are looking at is not a Nismo version or the bastard offspring of a GT-R and a Leaf. This one Nissan Leaf with war paint and great electrifying firepower is a test prototype.
Test prototypes for what, you ask? This Leaf is testing a number of new technologies for the brand's electric futures, and in this particular case, it adds a second electric motor placed on the rear axle.
Based on the latest Nissan Leaf e+, the second engine not only provides all-wheel drive, it adds an exhilarating dose of extra power — a Leaf with 300+ hp! More precisely 308 hp and 680 Nm fat . Compare this to the 150 hp of the regular Leaf or the 217 hp of the Leaf 3.Zero e+.
This prototype envisions the "hardware" we may see in a future electric model soon to be known, says Nissan — will it be a future electric SUV?
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The two-motor solution, one per axle, brings other benefits in addition to those associated with four-wheel drive, or the increase in performance due to the extra horses. According to Nissan, comfort also benefits, managing to reduce the longitudinal movement of the bodywork when accelerating or braking.
By adding the possibility of regenerative braking to the new rear engine, when in urban traffic, for example, when slowing down or accelerating, it allows the occupants to not be “shaked” back and forth as much.
Despite the extra muscle, Nissan has not come up with any performance data from this prototype. The only clue to this machine's latent potential is… the wheels, the size of which Nissan has decided to share: 215/55 R17 at the front and 235/50R17 at the rear.
Inside we also find new features, such as a new 12.3" screen, which provides real-time information about the vehicle's control technology.
Ok… It's a test prototype with solutions for your electric futures. There are no rumors about a potential Nissan Leaf hot hatch, but after seeing this prototype, surely Nissan will have put it that way?
