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Jim Motavalli

Nissan's Leaf EV will be affordable -- and easy to plug in

Nissan isn't waiting for others to build charging stations. Its new Leaf can plug into the company's global EV network.
Mon, Aug 03 2009 at 12:49 PM EST
Read more: ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION, BATTERY TECHNOLOGY, ELECTRIC VEHICLES

NISSAN'S LEAF: It has a 100-mile range and ready-made charging. (Photo: Nissan)
What if they built electric vehicles (EVs) and there was no place to plug them in? That’s been the chicken-and-egg conundrum keeping EVs off the market in modern times. But Nissan doesn’t want to wait for charging networks — it’s building them itself. And now it has a car to go with the wiring.
 
Nissan turned over a new Leaf over the weekend, showing off its five-door, five-seat hatchback in Yokohama, Japan. Here's what it looks like on the road:
 
 
If it drives like the “mule” version I tested a few months ago, it will be very quick off the line and a bit short of breath at the top end. The car has a 100-mile range and a 90-mph top speed. A charge takes eight hours from a 220-volt outlet, and a whopping 14 from 110. Do you have 220 at home? If you have an electric dryer, you’re all set.
 
Rolling out in late 2010, 50,000 Leafs will be sold in the U.S., Europe and Japan the first year, with China following soon after.
 
Mark Perry, a Nissan spokesman, said the Leaf will cost no more than a comparable mid-sized car, and that means with a price around $15,000 the company could initially lose money on each one. The battery pack alone reportedly costs $10,000. Perry said customers would either buy or lease the little car, but pricing will be announced later. Perry also said he expects most buyers to charge up at home, but — especially for the Leaf — there will be other options.
 
Fast-charging is starting to catch on as a customer lure. A “green” McDonald’s in North Carolina offers it (charge up while “enjoying your meal,” as long as you’re not Super Size Me’s Morgan Spurlock). Also on the EV charging bandwagon is the Elements Lexington eco-hotel near Boston. I would expect most big-box retailers will soon offer charging — because if they don’t, the competition will. Walmart, for instance, already allows RVs to plug in free in its parking lots. And why not — they’re going to go into the store, right?
 
And then there’s Nissan’s own charging networks. Alone among carmakers, the Renault-Nissan Alliance has gone around the world making partnerships with countries, states and cities. In the U.S., it expects to have 10-15 such partners (including the states of Tennessee and Oregon, several California locations, Phoenix and Tucson in Arizona, Seattle, Raleigh and Washington, D.C.)
 
The Leaf has a blue logo, not the expected green one. “Blue is the new green,” said Perry.
 

 

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Comments(7)

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Posted By Anonymous - Thu, Aug 06 2009 at 9:33 AM EST

Fair trial

I would love to see the comparison of the emissions of fuel delivery to a gas car compared to an electric car. We all know after fueling the electrics are zero emission vehicles, but the gas guzzlers don't like that so they brought up this pre-polution factor. So please, lets compare the polution of sucking oil out of the ground, processing, transporting, etc to the pollution from the dirtiest coal plant.

Just to be fair.

Posted By Bikebox - Tue, Aug 04 2009 at 2:47 PM EST

Off Peak Charging

Of course, the use of coal to produce the electricity to charge will depend on your location,but for most people, yes, it will be coal-produced. However, almost all charging is going to be done at night during off peak hours when an incredible amount of energy is produced that goes unused (you can't shut a power plant down for the night). The trade off is in favor of the vehicle either way.

Posted By Anonymous - Tue, Aug 04 2009 at 1:39 PM EST

I wouldn't buy it...

...or even accept it as a gift. 8 hours for only 160 km?? It's insane.

Posted By Brock - Tue, Aug 04 2009 at 12:26 PM EST

A good start....

It is a good step forward. But let's not get ahead of ourselves yet. Charging this vehicle still uses coal power from power plants which still emit Co2. It is a baby step in the right direction, but it is not THE answer and i hope most people do realize that.

Posted By Dave in PA - Mon, Aug 03 2009 at 1:55 PM EST

4 hours of charge at 220 - 8 hours at 110

You've got the charge time wrong - sorry

It is the full eight hours at 110 volts and 4 hours at 220

Posted By Jim Motavalli - Mon, Aug 03 2009 at 2:20 PM EST

Sorry, but YOU'RE wrong

The Nissan Leaf takes eight hours to recharge at 220, and 14 on 110. Trust me on this.

Posted By i love affordable electric vehicles - Mon, Aug 03 2009 at 1:48 PM EST

awesome!

An affordable, normal-looking, 100% electric car? This is a dream come true. Electric cars are safe, clean, efficient. This is a really big step towards reducing greenhouse gases, lessening the impact of peak oil, and saving money in the process. American auto companies need to learn from Nissan on this one! I just finished reading “Two Cents Per Mile” by Nevres Cefo, which is the most informative book I’ve read on the topic, and I suggest it to anyone interested in electric cars. .... More

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