On top of that, every 2020 Leaf will have an eight-inch touchscreen. The Leaf Plus already had that, but the previous Leaf S and SV had five- and seven-inch touchscreens respectively. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will also be available as standard.

But those additions (along with others such as knee-level and side-impact airbags) have contributed to a price increase this year. Including the $925 destination fee, the Leaf S starts at $32,525, up $1,640 from the base 2019 model. The Leaf Plus had a slightly bigger price increase. It starts at $39,125, $1,680 more than last year.

The design also brings independent brake control, and there’s now regenerative rear braking that should prevent the car from pitching back and forth when you slow down.

We wouldn’t count on seeing a production version of this particular Leaf. However, the automaker isn’t shy about indicating that this represents technology coming to the “next generation of Nissan EVs.” A production version of the Ariya is a possibility (Nissan has reportedly shown that to dealers behind closed doors), but you could also see variants of this dual-motor tech in larger sedans, sports cars and other vehicles that might need more oomph to move quickly.

Nissan’s connection to gaming might extend beyond the occasional car in a racing sim. The automaker has joined with FaZe Clan and OpTic Gaming to design a trio of “esports gaming chairs” themed around (what else?) some of its more iconic cars. The GT-R Nismo is a “performance” chair with a thin carbon fiber shell, a racing seat shape, Nismo leather and an audio system built into the headset. The Armada chair echoes the SUV with extra-comfy lumbar support, posh leather and its own climate control. A Leaf chair, meanwhile, mimics the EV with “eco-friendly” materials and a USB charging port.

About 90 percent of those sales were concentrated in just three countries. The US led the way with 90,000 Leafs, while Nissan’s home country of Japan bought 50,000 cars and Europe snapped up 40,000 combined.

The company might not want to get too comfortable with its crown. Tesla sold 140,000 Model 3s in 2018, and that was before the $35,000 entry model reached the market. Nissan won’t necessarily complain, though. More competition means that the Leaf was a wise bet, and that future Nissan EVs will likely fare well. As it stands, the Leaf’s history could easily be considered a bellwether for EV acceptance as a whole. It started out as a machine for early adopters willing to put up with limited range and a dearth of chargers, but it evolved into a thoroughly mainstream car that can easily handle typical city driving.