Nissan Leaf electric car gets longer range: 40% boost to battery power for Leaf e+

Nissan is set to offer a long-range version of the Nissan Leaf in a long-awaited move that transforms the electric car into a competitor for the farthest-traveling battery-powered vehicles in the country.  

The Japanese automaker will begin selling the vehicle in the U.S. in the spring, hoping that it transforms the model's reputation from a reliable commuter car into a vehicle for any purpose.

It will be called the Nissan Leaf Plus in the U.S. and Canada and Nissan Leaf e+ in other markets.

The car will have up to 226 miles of range, which reflects an improvement of about 40 percent on the base model. It's also about three times the range of the original model revealed nearly a decade ago.

The company made the announcement Tuesday night at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The Leaf e+ has roughly the same size and range as several other electric cars on the market, such as the Tesla Model 3, Chevrolet Bolt, Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro.

Nissan did not reveal pricing on Tuesday. The base model starts at $29,990 before tax incentives. 

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Despite the increased battery capacity, the vehicle's dimensions are virtually identical to the base model. Its design is mostly the same, though it adds blue highlights to its front fascia and an "e+" logo near the charge port.

Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey.