What is so important about the Nissan Leaf?
When the first Nissan Leaf models are launched in December 2010, mass production of electric vehicles will be a reality. Until then, only the high-priced Tesla Roadster and a limited number of Ford Transit Connect EVs, Fisker Karma and Chevrolet Volt will have managed to make a dent in this emerging segment, but the Leaf will be transformative as production keeps pace with growth. demand.
And you can thank Nissan’s decision to price the car from $32,780 to help spark interest in electric vehicles, with a $7,500 federal rebate driving that price even lower. It’s important to note that if you live in certain states like California, a $5,000 state credit is also counted. Yes, a pure electric vehicle costing just over $20K could be a game changer, a car with no carbon emissions, with the ability to travel 100 miles on a single charge and one that will never see a gas pump in its life.
Even with this amount of information provided about the Nissan Leaf, your interest is likely to be piqued, but it doesn’t stop there. The Leaf is a five-door, five-passenger compact sedan sitting on a 106.3-inch wheelbase and measures 175 inches long, 69.7 inches long and 61 inches tall. Those dimensions are similar in scope to what you’ll find in a Nissan Sentra. However, Nissan insists that the Leaf is backed by its own platform.
The Nissan Leaf features a laminated lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged in eight hours. A fast charger is also available, reducing charging times to thirty minutes or less. On a long trip, this option can be useful with the Leaf fully recharged when stopping for a meal. Then again, you get just an extra 100 miles of range, which means the Leaf is definitely a city or regional car.
Nissan has also developed the Leaf to be well-equipped, meaning few drivers will have to pay extra to enjoy their electric vehicle. The Nissan Leaf will include Nissan’s navigation system, tilt steering, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, power door locks and windows, premium sound system with XM radio, airbags and side curtain airbags, traction and a vehicle security system. Also included are 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, and a rear spoiler.
Top speed for the Nissan Leaf will be just over 90 mph with a zero to sixty times higher probability once that figure is released. No electric car is a push in the sense that drivers enjoy maximum torque from the moment they step on the accelerator.
The Nissan Leaf is available for customers to order, with a $99 refundable credit card charge securing your order. The majority of deliveries will be in 2011 and lead times will correlate with customer demand. So if you want to be the first person on your block to own the Nissan Leaf, placing your order as soon as possible can go a long way to ensuring it becomes a reality.