2018 Nissan Leaf vs. Its Competition

John Voelcker

The 2018 Nissan Leaf is a strong new entry among mass-priced electric cars; its competitors offer lower range, higher prices, or a wait of a year or more to get one delivered.

The BMW i3 is a technically sophisticated small hatchback with excellent performance and 114 miles of range, plus an optional range-extending engine, but it starts $12,000 above the new Leaf.

The Chevy Bolt EV was last year’s It Girl among electric cars, with a whopping 238 miles of range, but it starts almost $7,000 higher.

The Hyundai Ioniq Electric and Volkswagen e-Golf are rated at 124 and 125 miles, respectively; the e-Golf is about the same size and price as the Leaf, while the lower Ioniq feels smaller but is more aggressively priced.

Finally, the Tesla Model 3 is nominally in production now, but with a reservation queue of 450,000 or so people, you’re not likely to get the 220-mile version that starts at $35,000 for at least a year if you’re not already on the list.