If you are deciding on a new electric vehicle (EV) to make your daily commute more efficient, we would like to make it easier for you by comparing two famous EVs in Malaysia – Nissan LEAF vs BMW i3. Compared to normal cars, there are just so many things to like about an electric car, the silent engine, the lack of tailpipe emissions, the ease of use and the affordable long-term maintenance fee. So the question to ask here is, which EV should you pick?
Nissan LEAF VS BMW i3
1. Engine and Performance
Nissan LEAF – The standard Nissan LEAF has a 148bhp electric motor that gets its energy from a 40kWh battery, while the long-range Leaf e+ has a 214bhp electric motor with a 62kWh battery. When driven, the standard Nissan LEAF goes from 0-100 kmph in just a mere 7.9 seconds, while the LEAF e+ is way quicker as it goes from 0-100kmph In just 7.3 seconds.
This car has 2 driving modes – ECO Mode and B-Mode.
| ECO Mode | Limits the electric motor’s output while slightly increasing regenerative braking to help improve the Leaf’s overall range. |
| B Mode | Puts regenerative braking into its most aggressive setting that helps to minimize the use of the braking system |
BMW i3 – The BMW i3 has a 181 electric power that gets its energy from a 18.2kWH battery and while driven, this car goes from 0-100kmph in just 6.9 seconds and its top speed is at 160kmph thanks to the 181hp and 270Nm of torque.
This car has 4 driving modes – Comfort, Eco Pro, Eco Pro+ and Sport
| Comfort | Default driving mode |
| Eco Pro | Increases driving rage by 12% from comfort mode by desensitizing the throttle pedal |
| Eco Pro+ | Increase driving range by 24% from comfort mode by putting the car into maximum efficiency. |
| Sport | Most responsive driving mode |
2. Price, Warranty and Color
| Nissan LEAF | BMW i3 | |
| Price | RM 188, 888 (on the road without warranty) | RM 280,000 (on the road without warranty) |
| Warranty | 3 years /100,000 km warranty
3 years/ 60,000 km maintenance service 8 years/ 160,000km lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery warranty. |
5 years unlimited mileage warranty
Free scheduled service 2 years tire warranty program 8 years/ 100,000 km battery warranty for one of its eight modules.
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| Color Choices |
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3. Battery and Charging Speed
Nissan Leaf – A slightly smaller battery at 40kWh that can travel up to 322 km on a full range. As for the charging speed, via a usual A/C 6.6kW wall plug, fully charging the LEAF’s battery will take about 7 hours or about 1 hour with a quick D/C 50kW CHAdeMo Charging facility.
BMW i3 – A slightly larger Li-ion battery at 42.2kWh (120Ah) that is capable of travelling up to 260km. As for the charging speed, you can get a BMW i Wallbox at RM 8,897 that can facilitate speed charging at home with 11kW of power (180km electric range) at under 3 hours.
4. Interior
Nissan Leaf – The interior of this car features cabin sports leather-Alcantara seats, leather-wrapped speed-sensitive multifunction electric power steering wheel, keyless entry with push-start button, power windows with driver one-touch function and automatic climate controls. The entertainment is provided by a 4-speaker sound system connected to a 5.0-inch display with radio, USB, and AUX ports as well as Bluetooth connectivity.
BMW i3 – The interior of this car is made from renewable and recycled materials like recycled plastics, natural fibers and unbleached eucalyptus that is grown and sourced responsibly for the instrument panel. The car also features Dark Truffle Vernasca leather upholstery and Carum Spice Grey headliner. You will find two screens inside the car; one is a 5.7-inch TFT- LCD digital instrument cluster while the other is a larger 10.25-inch screen for the BMW Navigation System Professional infotainment system and iDrive operating system.
5. Safety
Nissan LEAF – Nissan LEAF is fitted with six airbags, anti-lock braking system, electronic brakeforce distribution, vehicle dynamic control and hill-start assist. It also has Nissan’s Safety Shield technologies which includes forward-collision warning, forward emergency braking, around view monitor with moving object detection, driver alertness ride control and trace control.
BMW i3 – The BMW i3 is equipped with six airbags, anti-lock braking system and electronic stability control as well as Driving Assistant Plus Package which includes rear-view camera, Park Distance Control (front and rear), active cruise control with Stop & Go function, Collision and Pedestrian Warning with City Braking function and a Traffic Jam Assistant. You will also have access to BMW ConnectedDrive services including Intelligent Emergency Call, Concierge Services and Remote Services.
When it comes to driving the best EV, BMW i3 is the best choice you can make. But that does not make the Nissan LEAF any less worthy because this car is just as great as a competition but at a more affordable price for an EV. It all depends on your budget and choice. If you are not into luxury cars, then the Nissan LEAF is the best car you can pick because of its great functions and practicality.
If you need to make space for your new EV in your garage, you can always sell off your current car to Carsome. Carsome is the best platform to buy and sell used cars. Do check the website to know more.
