Nissan will employ the expertise it gained from the second generation Leaf (which will be revealed in September) to spawn new vehicles for its future electric car line-up.
Based on records of a name recently patented by Nissan, one of the first electric vehicles to be based on the Leaf is likely to be called the Terra. The new Terra EV will be a crossover. The Terra name was trademarked with the Malaysian patents office at the start of this month. The upcoming Terra will share its underpinning with the new Leaf along with its aluminium chassis and the battery packs.
The name was first seen on an electric crossover concept called the Nissan TeRRA Concept showcased at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. The TeRRA Concept used the first gen Leaf’s powertrain along with a futuristic hydrogen fuel-cell system. The jacked up Terra will keep a keen eye on the upcoming Tesla Model Y which will serve as an adversary to the Japanese car. Apart from it, European manufacturers like Volkswagen Group, BMW Group and Daimler are leaving no stone unturned in the development of their electric portfolios. Thus, the upcoming Terra will have more than a few competitors to look out for.
With electrification in full swing these days, Nissan doesn’t want to be left behind compared to the European and American counterparts; given the fact that the original Leaf was the first mainstream electric car back in 2009. It is unclear when the Japanese carmaker will reveal the production spec electric vehicles. However, expect the new Leaf-based electric vehicles to show up before the turn of the decade.
