2012 Nissan LEAF Overview Change Vehicle

2012 Nissan Leaf overview with specifications, fuel economy data, safety information, reliability ratings, a photo gallery, and The Vehix View

Quietly, Nissan is revolutionizing transportation with the pure electric Nissan Leaf. The company sold about 10,000 Leafs to American consumers in the plug-in model’s first year, and the Leaf is now available all around the world. It can go as far as 100 miles on a fully charged battery, which takes about eight hours to achieve using a standard household electrical outlet.

For 2012, the Nissan Leaf is hot. It gets a standard battery heater to improve cold-climate performance, and all models now come with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, heated side mirrors, and climate ducts for the rear seat area. The Leaf SL model comes standard with a quick-charge port that can juice the battery to 80-percent capacity in as little as 30 minutes using a proper quick-charge outlet.

Nissan sells the 2012 Leaf in two different trim levels. Standard equipment on the standard Leaf SV includes automatic climate control, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, power heated side mirrors, power windows, power door locks, and cruise control. A navigation system is also standard, as well as Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, Nissan Intelligent Key keyless entry and push-button ignition, and a stereo with a CD/MP3 player, an auxiliary audio input jack, a USB port, and satellite radio. A free three-year subscription to CarWings telematics service is included on every Leaf, and shows local electric car charging stations and a highlighted “reachable area” on the navigation map. A trip computer, an outside temperature gauge, LED headlights, LED taillights, and 16-inch aluminum wheels are also included on every Leaf SV.

Understandably, you might ask: what’s left to install on the uplevel Leaf SL? A photovoltaic solar panel rear spoiler is included on the SL model, and helps to power the car’s accessories to reduce battery demands. Automatic headlights, fog lights, a HomeLink universal remote, a cargo cover, and a reversing camera system are also included on this model. The best reason to choose the Leaf SL, however, is that a quick-charge port is standard for 2012. Designed to provide 80-percent of a full battery charge in just 30 minutes using public charging stations, a Leaf SL owner can theoretically spend an entire day running around town without worrying that the car’s battery pack will run out of power. Of course, this can only happen in areas where charging stations are plentiful.

Let’s be completely clear about something: The Nissan Leaf never, ever needs to visit a gas station unless you need to use the restroom or just want to grab a 24-ounce can of Red Bull. That’s because there’s no gasoline engine on board, unlike with the Chevy Volt.

Instead, 48 rechargeable compact laminated lithium-ion batteries are mounted under the Leaf’s floor, powering an 80-kilowatt AC synchronous electric motor that generates 107 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. Because the Leaf is a pure-electric, all that torque is available immediately upon depressing the accelerator pedal, which translates to instant response and speedy off-the-line acceleration.

Nissan says the Leaf has a 100-mile range on a full charge, based on U.S. EPA LA4 city cycle laboratory testing. However, the company does state that driving habits, charging habits, battery age, battery use, weather conditions, local temperature, and vehicle speed can negatively impact range. The Leaf does come with an Eco model designed to limit climate control activation in an effort to improve range, and the warranty on the battery pack is eight years or 100,000 miles. A free three-year roadside assistance program is also included.

The time it takes to recharge the Leaf’s batteries depends on the power source you’re using. A standard household outlet will produce a full battery pack in eight hours. Install a 240-volt charger at home, and a full charge is possible in just four hours. Connect the Leaf SL’s quick charge port to a public charging station, and the battery goes from empty to 80-percent charged in just 30 minutes.

The 2012 Nissan Leaf comes standard with four-wheel-disc regenerative antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, a traction and stability control system, and six airbags. A reversing camera is standard and available only on the Leaf SL.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finds the Nissan Leaf exceptionally crashworthy, giving it an overall rating of 5 Stars. Combine that score with the Leaf’s Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and it appears that this electrified Nissan will do the best possible job it can to protect occupants in a crash.

Reliability reports for the Nissan Leaf are scant. As a result, Consumer Reports is making no predictions for the 2012 model as this review is written. Similarly, J.D. Power and Associates lacks data specifically for the Leaf, and offers a predicted reliability rating of Average based on the overall performance of all Nissan products over the years.

A $7,500 income tax credit helps to offset the purchase price of a Nissan Leaf, bringing the actual net cost down to $27,700, which is about the average price paid for a new car in America. If you’re wondering about the Leaf’s overall value equation, Nissan says the cost-per-mile to own this car is up to 30 percent lower than a traditional combustion engine vehicle.

If you’re concerned about interior room, the Leaf is roomy enough to seat four adults comfortably or five for a short trip. The Leaf’s cargo area is roomy, too, measuring 14.5 cubic-feet, which is almost as much as most midsize sedans. Fold the Leaf’s rear seat down and this electric Nissan provides even greater cargo carrying capability.

Because electric cars are literally silent when traveling at low speeds, the Nissan Leaf emits a sound from a speaker at the front of the vehicle to warn pedestrians that a car is approaching. The sound engages at speeds of 16 mph or less, and automatically shuts off when the Leaf reaches 19 mph or more.

Speaking of speed, Nissan claims that the Leaf’s top speed is 90 mph. Traveling at this velocity, however, significantly reduces battery range. Helping to extend range, the Leaf’s headlights are designed to slice through the atmosphere and direct airflow around the side mirrors to reduce aerodynamic drag. The Leaf’s coefficient of drag measures 0.29.

The Leaf’s carpeting, cloth seat upholstery, headliner, plastic interior panels, and other interior components are constructed from partially recycled materials, making this Nissan as green as it can possibly be.

Leaf buyers in California, Florida and Washington might be interested to know that the American Automobile Association (AAA) offers a brand-new mobile charging service. Before you get too excited about this, know that just six trucks will be deployed at launch, and a recharge could take hours.

Relying on a Nissan Leaf is inconvenient if you need to travel farther than its maximum range, or if the power goes out during a storm and can’t be restored for days, or if you forget to plug the car in overnight, or if you can’t find a public charging station, or if you’re nearing the end of the car’s range and still have some elevation to climb before reaching home, or if...well, you get the idea. It doesn’t matter that the average American drives fewer than 40 miles per day, well within the Nissan Leaf’s maximum range. You don’t want one of these as your only car. As a second car for shorter commutes and running errands, however, it’s brilliant.

-- By Christian Wardlaw