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Fear of cheap Chinese EVs spurs automaker dash for affordable cars
(www.reuters.com)
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Yeah that was the problem with the Nissan Leaf. It basically used the same frame as an ICE car, (and it wasn't like it was a big SUV either) so all the batteries had to go in the back, and you had no storage and also there wasn't really enough space in the back to have enough batteries to make it have decent range.
They did make the leaf plus that has decent range with the same formfactor though. Also I'm quite sure the batteries are not in the trunk, unless that's where they put the extras in the plus version or something? Our 2015 leaf had significantly more trunk space than our brand new bolt despite being of similar dimensions. The bolt does have better rear leg room though.
The main issues with the leaf stem from not having any active heating/cooling for the battery and using an uncommon plug for level 3 charging that is going the way of the dodo. If you live in a temporate climate and don't need to fast charge for road trips the leaf is a totally acceptable car IMO.