A day spent with the 3rd generation Nissan LEAF.

Why don't you take a little car trip to Odawara to see some furniture?

One day in March, I decided to go out with photographer Mr. Yasujima based on such a casual invitation. We chose "Fuguren" near Hanegi Park in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo. Hanegi Park. Lined with Scandinavian furniture, it is one of the few cafes that is open from 7:00 in the morning.

The purpose of this visit was twofold. Not only to dig for furniture, but also to test drive the new Nissan LEAF, which was announced last October. What is the well-received third generation like? was the question we wanted to ask ourselves, and we wanted to experience it for ourselves.

While he ordered coffee at the restaurant, the new "Nissan LEAF," clad in two tones of turquoise blue and black, was quietly waiting for Mr. Yasujima's return.

Close the door, place your cup in the holder, and hit the power switch. Unlike engine cars, there is no idling, so the cabin remains silent. The drifting anticipation and anxiety are absorbed by the light of the monitor that lights up the screen. It is past 7:30 when it is getting light around here. It is time to depart.

When one hears the word "EV," one tends to imagine that it "just moves smoothly. However, Mr. Yasujima had a different impression from the moment he got into the car.

The linkage between the steering wheel and accelerator pedal is not too light and not too heavy. Surprisingly, it feels like you're driving the car properly. As Mr. Yasujima says, this car still retains the fun of driving as a car.

There is a firm "driving" response that is clearly different from the "feeling of just moving the steering wheel," which is common in recent cars. It feels as if only the excess vibration has been cleanly removed while retaining the feedback from the road surface. From the moment I started driving, I could tell that this car was not a simple "easy-going" specification.