Can the Nissan Leaf Drift?

Reliability, quality, comfort – these are classic concerns when considering the ownership of a new vehicle. But here’s an unlikely one: “Can it drift?” Drifting is a high-performance motorsport technique whereby the driver intentionally oversteers to lose traction through the entirety of a corner while continuing to maintain control of the car. The sharp breaking and swift turns that define drifting not only make for one of the toughest tests of car handling; they also stand for the ultimate stress test to prove a car’s performance potential. While drift experiments have historically been performed by fuel-powered cars, to demonstrate the strength of a new era of electric mobility, Nissan conducted the Nissan Drift Experiment, challenging a professional stunt driver to drift with the Nissan LEAF. In an unlikely pairing of adrenaline-inducing drifts and an electric vehicle, the Nissan LEAF demonstrated with ease its ability to produce instantaneous maximum torque and force. Delivering donuts and burnouts on tap, the Nissan LEAF debunked outdated perceptions that electric vehicles are nothing but large golf carts and highlighted the prowess of electric mobility to undertake some of driving’s most strenuous maneuvers to deliver unparalleled driving excitement. Most impressively, throughout the test, the Nissan LEAF’s emissions remained at zero—a serendipitous number symbolized by the vehicle’s donut tread marks. As such, exhilarating performance aside, this latest experiment provides yet another reason for us to smile at the prospect of future electric mobility. Watch the Nissan Drift Experiment video below: https://youtu.be/zuAOjbXbIoc

Also read: ‘Tis the Season to Be Leafy: Nissan Makes Christmas Tree out of Leaf EV