Nissan Leaf celebrates 10 years of flagship electric hatch

Nissan is marking the 10th anniversary of its Leaf EV with a new commemorative special edition for 2021, available to order now.

400 examples of the variant, called Leaf10, will be delivered to buyers in the UK from later this month, with prices starting from £28,820 after the government plug-in car grant.

The Leaf10 is distinguished from the standard Leaf by several exterior styling upgrades, including a new two-tone grey-and-black colour option.

Said to be inspired by Kumiko patterns of interlocking wood puzzles found in traditional Japanese gardens, the changes are focused on the Leaf's wing mirrors, roofline and boot lid.

These also mimic the styling language of Nissan's recently revealed second EV - the Ariya. Also inspired by Kumiko patterns, that car's exterior featured a new shield design and 3D patterning.

Complementing the exterior upgrade, the Leaf10 adds 17in alloys as standard, which Nissan claims gives the special edition a "more dynamic look and feel".

In terms of technology, the Leaf10 features Nissan's blindspot detection and management software as well as an intelligent rear-view mirror. Usually £395 options, these are included on the Leaf10 as standard.

The new model is available with a 40kWh battery, offering 168 miles of range and a 90mph top speed with 0-62mph taking 7.9sec.

The Leaf10 is the latest of several special-edition Leafs revealed by Nissan since the current generation was launched in 2017. In 2017, it introduced a dark-themed Black Edition, following in the footsteps of the Nissan Note Black Edition. More recently, Nissan unveiled a Leaf-based emergency response car, providing a mobile power supply in the event of blackouts caused by natural disasters.