By Jon LeSage



Right after the Sept. 5 launch of the next-generation Leaf, Nissan will be hosting an up-close experience for the all-electirc car on both coasts.

The event will be part of the annual National Drive Electric Week, where the Leaf will be on display and available for a spin in eight west coast and east coast cities.

That will take place from Sept. 9-16. On Sept. 9, the Leaf will be shown in Seattle, San Diego, and Alpharetta, Ga. On September 14, the event takes place in Bridgewater, NJ; and on September 16, visitors can check out the revamped electric car in Portland, Ore., Los Angeles, Cupertino, Calif., and Cambridge, Mass.

While NDEW is taking place across the U.S. and a few other countries, Nissan is focusing on markets where Leaf sales have done well since its launch nearly seven years ago.

The way ride and drives will work is that current Leaf owners get an exclusive offer to participate in "The All New Leaf Drive and Discover Experience” weeks after its being unveiled beginning in October. They just need to show their current Leaf key fob to register while visiting the display to participate in a test drive.

The Nissan Leaf has been the official sponsor for the event for the third straight year. The automaker sees it as an ideal setting to show off the new version.

"The timing couldn't be better. Bringing Leaf to some of the most enthusiastic EV advocates just days after its global debut is the perfect way to kick things off for this technology-packed car," said Brian Maragno, director, Nissan EV marketing and sales strategy. "We can't wait to show off the all-new LEAF to electric vehicle owners and enthusiasts during National Drive Electric Week."

The annual event has become well known for owners and those interested in buying their first EV to get together and talk about their experiences. EV owners are known for bragging about the distance they’ve been able to travel on their all-electric EV, how well its performed, and how much it saves them on transportation costs. A few of them will jump into the environmental argument about how clean the fuel is, especially if its coming from solar panels up on their roofs.

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Of course, there’s always competition over which is the coolest and best electric car out there. Arguments can be demonstrated by taking visitors for a ride.
Organized by Plug In America, Sierra Club, and Electric Auto Association, NDEW continues to grow in popularity, with more city locations added each year to the roster since its inception on 2011. Nearly 200 of these enthusiast-driven events are expected to take place this year.

Attendees will want to know the latest on the next-gen Leaf, including realistic range. That’s been a hot topic lately with rumors floating around this summer that range extension will come from a 40-kWh battery through one of the trim levels.

Nissan staff are expected to be selling other benefits of the new Leaf. It will be equipped with new mobility features through ProPILOT Assist and e-Pedal technology.

HybridCars.com