Like many years past, the hottest gifts this coming holiday season will run on batteries. But breaking from the tradition of finding a handful of Duracell AAs in the stocking to go with whatever treasure was wrapped and stuffed under the tree, one of this year’s most-hyped items will weigh about 3,500 pounds and come with its (very expensive) battery permanently installed.
The all-electric 2011 Nissan Leaf will be the first vehicle of its kind to hit the North American mass consumer market when it makes its December debut in showroom floors in California and other selected markets. (Read our Overview on Electric Cars and how they work.) Nissan is taking a big leap of faith into the next generation of green vehicles with the Leaf, skipping the more obvious and smaller step forward to a plug-in hybrid like Chevrolet’s forthcoming Volt. Instead, Nissan is opting to get rid of the gas engine altogether, believing progressive drivers will be comfortable relying solely on access to outlets and charging stations to get them around.
And so far, it seems the faithful are coming through. Nissan reports it has 19,000 pre-orders for the Leaf, essentially selling out its first round. No doubt helping to seal the deal are some extra incentives courtesy of federal and state governments, namely a $7,500 federal tax credit and additional credits of up to $5,000 in states such as California and Georgia. Take those sweet rebates into account, and suddenly the Leaf’s $32,780 MSRP shrinks to almost $20,000 – a good deal for a car with a miles per gallon rating of, well... infinite.
Nissan also has a prescription for a new malady likely to strike many Leaf owners - range anxiety. Nissan says the car can go 100 miles on a charge, but various reports and tests have come up with very different results, with actual performance under varying conditions coming in between 62 and 138 miles per charge. To ease concerns, the carmaker is teaming up with the Department of Energy and local governments for something called the EV Project, which is deploying high-voltage charging stations in large and small markets in 6 states and Washington, D.C. in 2010. Project leaders hope that if this first round – aimed at supporting just over 8,000 EVs – is a success, they will be able to ramp up to deploy charging infrastructure to support five million EVs nationwide as soon as 2013.
Inside/Outside and Under the Hood
At first glance, the Leaf’s shape and appearance is similar to that of a Prius, but with a little bit more of an egg (or yes, perhaps a leaf) shape to it. This isn’t actually as bad as it sounds - the Leaf’s curves are sleek, with elements of Nissan’s Versa and Murano apparent. We might even dare say it’s a little hip for a small hatchback, with its 16-inch alloy wheels, chrome door handles and rear spoiler. We can’t go so far as to call the Leaf sporty, but it is a little more interesting to look at than a Prius, or even a Volt, which breaks much more ground technologically than aesthetically.
Talking about the Leaf’s specs will require some drivers to learn a whole new language. Gone are the cylinders and liters; instead the Leaf boasts an 80-kilowatt synchronous AC motor connected to a 24 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery and a 3.3 kilowatt onboard charger. For a little comparison, consider that a commercial propane generator putting out 80 kW runs about $16,000 and can easily power a small business or construction site. While smaller than the announced electric motor for the Volt, at 110kW, the Leaf will still put out 107 horsepower and reach a top speed of 90 mph (and no more - that’s the Leaf’s electronically-limited ceiling.)
When we opened a door and took a seat inside the Leaf, we instantly noticed that the interior space seems to be a little bit less than we would have guessed looking at it from the outside. That’s not too say that the Leaf is cramped, however. In fact, cargo room beneath the hatchback is ample, thanks to the lack of that bothersome old fuel tank.
The monochromatic interior of the Leaf isn’t exciting or of a luxury class as has been occasionally claimed, but it is comfortable and nice enough. Light colors and interior materials made largely from recycled plastic bottles help to create a carefree, warm fuzzy, ecovibe.