Will Nissan win over car buyers with its
“Leading, Environmentally Friendly, Affordable, Family Car”?
The race to produce the most economical performing “green” vehicle has become a rising priority for most major auto manufacturers. With the increasing popularity of environmental friendliness in today’s culture, the automakers have responded with a wave of new hybrid/electric vehicles.
Nissan’s current attempt to propel itself to the forefront of this “green race” has been dubbed the LEAF: Leading, Environmentally Friendly, Affordable, Family Car. The LEAF is a completely electric compact sedan from Nissan that will be available for purchase or lease at Nissan dealers in select markets in December 2010 and nationwide in 2011.
The LEAF derives all of its operational power from its fully electric motor. The front-mounted motor is powered by a specialized lithium-ion battery pack that produces zero operating emissions. The battery is “rated” at a 100-mile range with claims of attaining a maximum speed above 87 mph. The LEAF can fully re-charge in about 16 hours from a standard U.S. 110V outlet. There is also a special quick charge feature that will charge the battery to 80 percent in thirty minutes.
The LEAF also includes an array of technologically advanced communication features. By linking a continuous connection from the LEAF to a global data center, drivers are connected to a host of valuable information and entertainment inside the car. Another unique user-friendly feature of the LEAF is that it has been designed to interact directly with your cell phone so you can perform tasks like turning on the air-conditioning or heater or resetting charging functions.
Even before its stateside debut, Nissan has been promoting the LEAF with a dedicated website complete with photos, videos, and live chat. The LEAF already has gained an enormous following in the U.S., with approximately 50,000 people already registered with Nissan for first priority. (Nissan LEAF website.)
LEAF Competitors
The LEAF currently has two main competitors (and numerous others are on the way): the I MiEV by Mitsubishi and the Chevrolet Volt. The I MiEV is the production version of Mitsubishi’s 2006 MiEV concept. With an 80- to 100-mile range and a top speed of 80 mph, the MiEV has received renowned testing and publicity across the globe.
The Chevrolet Volt is a hybrid that uses both battery cells and a gasoline generator for power. It can travel up to 40 miles on its battery cells alone, then switches to a gas generator while recharging the battery cell.
The I MiEV recently went on sale April 1, 2010, in Japan. The LEAF and Volt are not yet available to the public. All three vehicles (LEAF, Volt, and I MiEV) are priced around $30,000.
LEAF Criticisms
Some early criticisms of the LEAF include the remedial design of its battery cooling system. The 100-mile range of the vehicle also has been criticized due to the variables in consideration. Additionally, the life and power capacity of the battery have been scrutinized, with critics stating that Nissan’s performance claims are valid only under hypothetical driving conditions with a brand new battery.
With consumers’ consciousness raised about eco-friendly products and demand for renewable resources at an all time high, emissions-free vehicles such as the LEAF are part of the inevitable future of the automotive industry. The LEAF is being touted as "the world's first affordable, mass-produced zero emission car” and appears to be a good start to a promising future for Nissan electric cars.
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