Interstellar transport, force fields, and carbonite freezing are just a few of the wild and futuristic technologies that drive the story line in the Star Wars works of fiction. Here on planet Earth, when Nissan isn’t working up tie-ins to that fictional universe, it’s busy working on solutions to real-world transportation problems.
The company?s Leaf electric car, all new for 2018, features two such pieces of tech. Neither is new to the industry, but both are new to Nissan. The e-Pedal feature is simply Nissan?s name for substantially increasing the amount of regenerative braking that happens when the driver lifts off the throttle, while ProPilot Assist is a radar- and camera-based driving aid that is available on both the Leaf and the 2018 Nissan Rogue SUV. Like the Leaf?s main rivals, the Chevrolet Bolt EV and the Hyundai Ioniq EV, this braking using the electric motor allows energy to be recaptured into the battery when the vehicle is coasting or slowing to a stop. The new e-Pedal feature allows Leaf drivers the luxury of avoiding the brake pedal as lifting off the throttle pedal alone results in strong deceleration. Nissan estimates this feature?when activated by a console-mounted switch?should allow for one-pedal driving for 90 percent of an average trip. The feature also will hold the vehicle at a stop even on a steep grade.

In practice, the system works quite well, and it doesn?t require the use of steering-wheel paddles or the selection of a ...