Nissan Philippines has long confirmed that it will bring its famed Leaf electric vehicle (EV) to our local shores, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other hush-hush reasons, that still hasn’t happened yet.
Perhaps the Japanese car maker is still waiting for the EV infrastructure in the country to improve. With the latest Leaf able to travel 400 kms on a single charge, such a stable and reliable support system would indeed be necessary to truly maximize the new Leaf’s potential.
As the first mass-produced EV and the first of its kind to reach 400,000 in sales, the Leaf has its strong name going for it. However, it’s far from the only all-electric car in the local auto market. When it finally arrives, these cars are set to be its biggest competitors.
The Hyundai Ioniq is fitted with a Lithium-Ion Polymer battery with a 28kWh power capacity and an output of 98kW (131hp). Seating up to five passengers, the crossover hatch comes with six airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic parking brake, and a rear camera with dynamic guidelines. Inside the Hyundai Ioniq’s cabin, some of its connectivity features include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and TomTom Live, with infotainment controls housed in an 8-inch color touchscreen display.
Hyundai PH also launched the Kona EV sometime ago, but has since dropped the vehicle from their lineup. Some dealerships may still have the vehicle on sale though.
The first fully electric model from the German marque, the Audi e-Tron SUV makes use of the brand’s MLB Evo platform, a setup that puts an electric motor on each axle, with the rear motor imbued with more power than the front. Powered by a 95kWh battery, this Audi EV does 355hp (402hp with Boost Mode), making it one of the more powerful all-electrics in the market today. Creature comforts in the Audi e-Tron include LED headlights, keyless entry, adaptive air suspension, and 360-degree camera, to name a few.
It seems that being an all-electric vehicle is the only thing that the BYD E6 has going for it. The exterior is simplistic, the cabin design uninspiring, and the 300-km electric range unimpressive. Truth to tell, it’s hard to say the vehicle’s 4 million-plus price tag is justified. Of course, if it means not needing to pay for gasoline forever, some people will find it sensible to buy this Chinese-made car. Highlights include leather seats, spacious cabin, and a long-service battery life guaranteed to be rechargeable up to 4,000 times, fire safe and hardened against extreme conditions.
Photos from Nissan, Audi, Hyundai, BYD
Also read:
2020 Nissan Almera vs. the competition: Your other subcompact sedan options
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