Nissan Leaf
Encyclopedia
Nissan introduced its first battery electric vehicle
, the Nissan Altra at the Los Angeles International Auto Show on 29 December 1997. The Altra EV was produced between 1998 and 2002, only about 200 vehicles were ever produced, and it was mainly used as a fleet vehicle for companies such as electric utilities. Nissan also developed the Nissan Hypermini
, run a demonstration program and sold limited numbers for government and corporate fleets in Japan between 1999 and 2001. A small fleet of Hyperminis was also field tested in several cities in California between 2001 and 2005.
Unveiled in 2009, the EV-11 prototype
electric car
was based on the Nissan Tiida
(Versa in North America), but with the conventional gasoline engine replaced with an all-electric drivetrain
, and included an 80 kW/280 newton metre electric motor
, 24 kW·h lithium-ion battery pack rated to have a range of 109 miles (175.4 km) on the United States Environmental Protection Agency
's LA-4 or "city" driving cycle
, navigation system
, and remote control and monitoring
via a cellphone
connection through Nissan's secure data center
to the car. The technology in the EV-11 was previously developed and tested in the EV-01 and EV-02 test cars, built with an all-electric powertrain
that used the Nissan Cube
(Z11) as a development mule
. The EV-11 prototype was on display July 26, 2009. A week later, on August 2, 2009, Nissan unveiled its production version at its Yokohama headquarters and committed to begin retail sales in both the North American market and Japan at end of 2010.
(0 to 97 km/h) performance has been tested at 9.9 seconds.
The Leaf uses a front-mounted electric motor
driving the wheels, powered by a 24 kilowatt-hours (86,400,000 J) lithium ion battery
pack rated to deliver up to 90 kW power. The pack contains air-cooled, stacked laminar battery cells with lithium manganate cathodes. The battery and control module together weigh 300 kilograms (661.4 lb) and the specific energy
of the cells is 140 W·h/kg. Each battery pack costs Nissan an estimated . Under its five-cycle testing, the United States Environmental Protection Agency
found the Leaf's energy consumption to be 765 kJ/km (34 kWh/100 miles) and rated the Leaf combined fuel economy
equivalent
at 99 MPGe (2.4 L/100 km), with an equivalent 106 mpgU.S. (45.1 km/L) in city driving and 92 mpgU.S. (39.1 km/L) on highways.
and NEC Energy Devices, at Zama, Japan.
The Leaf's design locates the battery, the heaviest part of any EV, below the seats and rear foot space, keeping the center of gravity as low as possible and increasing structural rigidity compared to a conventional five-door hatchback.
The battery pack is expected to retain 70% to 80% of its capacity after 10 years but its actual lifespan depends on how often fast charging (440-volt) is used and also on environmental factors. Nissan said the battery has a "lifespan of 5–10 years under normal use". The Leaf's battery is guaranteed by Nissan for eight years or 100000 miles (160,934 km) (see Warranty sub-section below under United States for limitations).
In addition to the main battery, the Leaf also has an auxiliary 12-volt
lead–acid battery that provides power to the car computer systems and accessories such as the audio system, supplemental restraint systems, headlights and windshield wipers. The small solar panel on the Leaf rear spoiler (in the United States, only comes with SL trim) helps to charge this accessory battery.
Nissan recommends owners the following preventive actions to help maximize the lithium-ion battery’s useful life and its ability to hold a charge:
is 100 miles (160.9 km) on the EPA city driving cycle and remains the same as the EV-11 prototype. However, the United States Environmental Protection Agency
official range is 73 miles (117.5 km) based on the five-cycle tests using varying driving conditions and climate controls. The Federal Trade Commission
, which is supposed to label all alternative-fuel vehicles, disagrees with the EPA rating, and considers that the correct range is between 96 to 110 mi (154.5 to 177 ). Although the FTC does not conduct its own tests as EPA does, it relies on a standard set by SAE International
and the results reported by automakers. The Leaf has a range of 175 km (108.7 mi) on the New European Driving Cycle
.
Based on third-party test drives carried out in the US, reviewers have found that the range available from a single charge can vary up to 40% in real-world situations; reports vary from about 62 miles (99.8 km) to almost 138 miles (222.1 km) depending on driving style, load, traffic conditions, weather (i.e. wind, atmospheric density), and accessory use. Nissan tested the Leaf under several scenarios to estimate real-world range figures, and obtained a worst case scenario of 47 miles (75.6 km) and a best case scenario of 138 miles (222.1 km). The following table summarizes the results under each scenario tested using EPA's L4 test cycle and presents EPA rating as a reference:
Consumer Reports
tested a Leaf loaner under cold-weather driven as a daily commuter. The average range obtained was 65 miles (104.6 km) per charge with temperatures varying from 20 to 30 °F (-6.7 to -1.1 C). The magazine also reported one trip under a temperature of 10 °F (-12.2 °C) that began with the range panel indicator showing 20 miles (32.2 km) remaining. After 8 miles (12.9 km) the Leaf drastically lost power and dropped its speed and continued to run slower until the last stretch was completed almost at walking speed. Consumer Reports concluded that the Leaf works as designed under cold temperatures but a more accurate range indicator is desirable.
In June 2011 Nissan reported, based on data collected through the Leaf's advanced telematics system, that most Leaf owners in Japan and the United States drive distances less than 60 mile per day. Nissan also found that on average owners charge their electric cars for two hours a night, and occasionally some owners drive two days on one charge. In October 2011 Nissan North America reported that based on a bigger sample of 7,500 Leafs on the U.S. roads, the typical driver averages 37 mi (59.5 km) a day and the average trip length is 7 mi (11.3 km), measured as the distance between power on and power off.
-2009 connector for level 1 and 2 charging (120/220 volts AC
) and a JARI high-voltage DC connector designed by TEPCO for DC fast charging (480 volts DC
125 amps) using the CHAdeMO
protocol.
Using the on-board 3.3 kW charger the Leaf can be fully recharged from empty in 8 hours from a 220/240-volt 30 amp supply (5.2 kW allowable draw) that can provide the on-board charger its full 3.3 kW of usable power.
In North America and Japan using a standard household outlet
(120-volt, 15 amp breaker, 12 amp maximum allowable draw, 1.4 kW) and the 7.5 metres (24.6 ft) cable included by Nissan, the Leaf will regain approximately 5 miles of range per hour. This type of charging is intended for convenience use when making stops or for emergency charging if you are within a short range of the charging destination.
United States electrical regulations require a 240-volt charging station
to be permanently wired to an AC outlet unless proper interlock mechanisms are available to ensure the charging current can be safely turned on and off. Nissan selected AeroVironment
to supply its charging dock and installation services in North America
(see the United States section below for more details).
Using DC fast charging, the battery pack can be charged to 80% capacity in about 30 minutes.
Nissan developed its own 500-volt DC fast charger that went on sale in Japan for (around ) in May 2010 and plans to install 200 at dealers in Japan. Nissan warns that if fast charging is the primary way of recharging, then the normal and gradual battery capacity loss is about 10% more than regular 220-volt charging over a 10-year period. Other companies make compatible charging stations, and companies and local government have various initiatives to create networks of public charging stations (see electric vehicle network
).
Nissan plans to double the power of the on-board charger to 6.6 kW by sometime in 2012 (2012 or 2013 model year). They are also studying the possibility of offering upgrades for the 2011 year model.
system called "Carwings" which originally was only available in Japan. The system sends and receives data via a built-in GPRS radio similar to the connectivity of mobile phones. Carwings is connected any time the car is in range of a cell tower and it makes possible several user functionalities, such as position and possible range on a map and which charging stations are available within range. The system also tracks and compiles statistics about distance traveled and energy consumption and produces daily, monthly and annual reports of these and several other operational parameters. All information is available in the Leaf's digital screens. Users' mobile phones can be used to turn on the air-conditioner and heater, and reset charging functions even when the vehicle is powered down. This remote functionality can be used to pre-heat or pre-cool the car prior to use while it is still charging so that less energy from the battery is used for climate control. An on-board remote-controlled timer can also be pre-programmed to recharge batteries at a set time such as during off-peak rates. The Leaf's SL trim has a small solar panel at the rear of the roof/spoiler that can trickle charge the auxiliary battery.
Due to significant noise reduction typical of electric vehicle
s that travel at low speeds, the Leaf includes digital warning sounds
, one for forward motion and another for reverse, to alert pedestrians, the blind, and others of its presence. For this purpose Nissan created the Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians (VSP) system, which also will be used in the upcoming Nissan Fuga hybrid, due in 2011. The system developed makes a noise easy to hear for those outside in order to be aware of the vehicle approaching, but the warning sounds do not distract the car occupants inside. Nissan explained that during the development of the sound, they studied behavioral research of the visually impaired and worked with cognitive and acoustic psychologists. The sine-wave sound system sweeps from 2.5 kHz at the high end to a low of 600 Hz, an easily audible range across age groups. Depending on the speed and if the Leaf is accelerating or decelerating, the sound system makes sweeping, high-low sounds. The sound system ceases operation when the Nissan Leaf reaches 30 kilometres per hour (19 mph) and engages again as car slows to under 25 kilometres per hour (16 mph). The driver can turn off sounds temporarily through a switch inside the vehicle, but the system automatically resets to "On" at the next ignition cycle. The system is controlled through a computer and synthesizer in the dash panel, and the sound is delivered through a speaker in the front driver’s side wheel well. After the new sounds were publicized, the US National Federation of the Blind commented that "while it was pleased that the alert existed, it was unhappy that the driver was able to turn it off."
. The Leaf received the top ratings of "Good" for front, side, and rear impact crash tests, and also on rollover protection. All injury measurements except one were rated good, indicating a low risk of significant injuries in crashes according to the scale of severity employed in the IIHS’s testing. The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) awarded the Leaf the highest five star car safety rating, earning the following ratings for each criteria:
In early March 2011, shortly before the earthquake in Japan
Nissan stated that 10,000 Leafs would be produced by the end of March, and production would reach 4,000 cars per month. Production for May 2011 was expected to be limited only by parts availability.
Commercial US production is slated to begin in late 2012 at Nissan's manufacturing facility in Smyrna, Tennessee
. This US plant will be modified with a loan granted by the US Department of Energy to allow the manufacturing plant to produce the Nissan Leaf and its advanced batteries. The retooled plant is expected to create 1,300 jobs. The Smyrna plant is expected to produce up to 150,000 vehicles and 200,000 battery packs annually.
The Leaf will also be produced at Nissan's plant in Sunderland
, England, beginning in 2013. Nissan will benefit from a grant from the British government and up to from the European Investment Bank
. The plant will produce 60,000 lithium-ion batteries a year, and it also is expected to deliver 50,000 Leaf EVs a year. Once production starts at the Sunderland plant, Nissan expects to reduce the Leaf price in the European market by 2013.
on December 3, 2010. The first US customer delivery took place in Northern California
on December 11, 2010 and the first delivery in Japan took place at the Kanagawa Prefecture
on December 22. Deliveries to individual customers began in Ireland in February 2011, in the UK in March 2011, and in France in August 2011. Deliveries to corporate customers began in Portugal in December 2010, in the Netherlands in March 2011, and in Canada in July 2011. Sales to individuals are scheduled to begin in Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, and Norway in the second half of 2011, with global market availability planned for 2012. As of July 2011, more than 6,000 Leafs had been delivered in Japan, more than 700 units in the UK as of August 2011, and 8,066 units sold in the US through October 2011. Worldwide cumulative sales since December 2010 surpassed 20,000 units by November 2011.
The Leaf does not have the Renault-Nissan's QuickDrop battery swap feature, but the alliance's partnership with Better Place influenced Nissan's distribution plan for the US which was based upon availability of electric vehicle network
s.
Nissan expects to deliver about 100 model year 2011 Leafs before the arrival of the 2012 models. The order process for individual began on August 27, 2011, and the only 40 model year 2011 Leafs were allocated in two hours. For the 2012 model Nissan expects to release only around 600 Leafs in Canada.
The 2011 Canadian Leaf comes with additional equipment useful for colder weather, such as heated front and rear seats, steering wheel, and outside mirrors. Other modifications include a battery heater system and a HVAC duct to the rear seating area.
Ontario
residents will be eligible for a rebate of . The rebate is available for purchasing or leasing a plug-in electric vehicle
s to the first 10,000 applicants who qualify. Residents of the Province of Quebec are eligible for a refundable tax credit that will be replaced with a purchase or lease rebate program on January 1, 2012. Communauto
, the oldest carsharing service in North America, will add 50 Nissan Leaf to its fleet in Quebec
when the vehicle becomes available to the Canadian market. The Vancouver
-based car co-op Modo has one Nissan Leaf on its fleet, a first for Western Canada.
by October 2011. The Leaf is expected to be sold at around . Initially Nissan plans to release the Leaf in limited quantities to government customers. In November 2011 Nissan began deliveries of the first 15 Leafs out of 25 allocated to the municipal government of Wuhan
as part of a pilot outreach program. Another objective of the program is to provide feedback for planning the full-fledged rollout of electric cars in the Chinese market.
. The Leaf will be available in the other major Western Europe
an countries by late 2011. According to Nissan, 12,000 European customers signed up to receive regular updates, and the company began taking orders in Portugal and Ireland on July 30, 2010. The process started in the UK in September 2010.
Belgium
Leaf deliveries in the Belgian market are scheduled for the third quarter of 2011 at a price of including VAT
and before a federal income tax credit of up to is applied. The Wallonia regional government provides an additional eco-bonus for cars registered before December 31, 2011. The reservation process will start in late June 2011 and Nissan is charging a fully refundable reservation fee.
Denmark
The Leaf is scheduled for deliveries in Denmark by early 2012, at a price of 290,690 Danish kroner (kr) including VAT. Even though the government does not have any purchase rebates, as an all-electric vehicle weighing under 2,000 kg, the Leaf is exempted from the new car registration tax, which can amount to more than 130,000 kr on a vehicle the size of a Leaf, and is also exempt from public parking fees and toll payments.
France
Leaf deliveries in the French market began in August 2011 at a price of before a government subsidy is applied.
Germany
Due to the lack of government purchase subsidies, Germany is one of the last European countries where the Leaf will be deployed. The only incentive available is an exemption from the annual circulation tax for a period of five years from the date of first registration. The launch is planned for February 2012.
Ireland
The Leaf was launched in Ireland in February 2011 at a price of after a government incentive is applied. Buyers are exempted from the vehicle registration tax. The first Leaf was delivered on February 21, 2011.
Netherlands
According to Nissan, the Leaf roll-out in the Netherlands was rescheduled from December 2010 to June 2011 due to the high demand. The price is . Existing incentives include total exemption of the registration fee and road taxes, which result in savings of approximately for private car owners over four years and for corporate owners over five years. Leaf buyers will also have access to parking spaces in Amsterdam reserved for battery electric vehicle
s, so Leaf buyers will avoid the current wait for a parking place in Amsterdam, which can reach up to 10 years in some parts of the city.
Deliveries to fleet customers began in March 2011, and the first Leafs were delivered to LeasePlan, the City of Amsterdam and BAM Building Contractors. These first units are part of a pilot program that Nissan had agreed on with the City of Amsterdam.
Norway
Leaf sales in the Norwegian market began in October 2011 at a price of 255,000 krone
. There are no direct government subsidies to the purchase price, but the Leaf, as all other electric cars, is exempt from all non-recurring vehicle fees, including sales tax
(VAT), the annual road tax
, all public parking fees
, and toll payments
, as well as being able to use bus lane
s. During the first three days since it went on sale, a total of 600 Leafs were sold. Deliveries began in November 2011.
Portugal
Leaf retail deliveries in Portugal began in January 2011 at a price of after a government subsidy. Some consumers might benefit from an additional incentive if they turn in their used car as part of the down payment for the new electric car. As of May 2010 there are only about a dozen recharging stations in the country, but the government expects to deploy 320 before the end of 2010 and 1,300 by the end of 2011. On December 22, 2010 in Lisbon
Nissan delivered the first nine Leafs to its commercial customer the MOBI.E consortium, and another unit to the Portuguese government as a loan for trial purposes. Deliveries for individual customers will begin in early 2011.
Spain
The Leaf is scheduled to be launched in Spain in September 2011 at a price of before a government subsidy is applied. The reservation process began in May 2011 and Nissan is charging a fully refundable reservation fee.
Sweden
Leaf deliveries in the Swedish market are scheduled to begin in early 2012 at a price of including VAT and before a government subsidy is applied. All Leafs will be equipped with the cold-weather package.
Switzerland
The Leaf is scheduled to be launched in November 2011 at a price of . The Swiss government does not have any subsidies or incentives for purchasing plug-in electric vehicles.
United Kingdom
The Leaf went on sale in the United Kingdom at a price of which includes the new 20% VAT
and after discounting the Plug-in Car Grant of that came into effect in January 2011. Despite the government incentive, at that price the Leaf is still around more expensive than the price of a basic Toyota Prius
.
On February 24, 2011, it was reported that on March 1, 2011 the price of Leaf would increase by (about ). Orders and pre-orders placed before that date would receive the old price. Nissan delayed the beginning of deliveries in order to remove the Leaf's electric warning sound for pedestrians
, as UK law mandates that any hazard warning sound must be capable of being disabled between 11:00 pm and 6:00 am, and the Leaf's audible warning system does not allow for such temporary deactivation. Deliveries to individual customers began on March 21, 2011.
As of August 2011 there were only 26 Nissan dealers selling and equipped to service the Leaf, and more than 700 Leafs have been sold in the UK. Nissan expects that by 2013, when the Sunderland
plant starts production, all dealers in the country will be equipped to sell the electric car.
Nissan offers customers various purchasing methods, including a financing program that allows consumers to pay and then a monthly fee of , which includes electricity costs. Other services that are available include assistance from Nissan dealers to customers in the installation of charging facilities in their homes. Nissan committed to install 200-volt regular chargers at 2,200 Nissan dealers nationwide before December 2010; about 200 dealers would also have quick-charging facilities that provide 80% of battery capacity in less than 30 minutes. Nissan guarantees the availability of at least one quick-charge unit within a 40-kilometer radius throughout the country. The 220 V quick charger went on sale on May 2010 for (around ) excluding taxes and installation. The quick chargers were developed by Nissan but they also work with electric cars from other automakers. Nissan offers variants built for hot and cold climate for and respectively.
The Leaf pre-order process began on April 1, 2010 through Nissan dealers across Japan. During the first three weeks, individuals accounted for 64% of the pre-orders, and fleet orders represented the remaining 36%. Among individuals, older consumers (age 50 and higher) accounted for 61% of the orders. As of late May 2010, Nissan claimed it had already received 6,000 pre-orders, which allowed it to reach its Japan sales target for FY2010. The first Leaf delivery took place at the Kanagawa Prefecture
on December 22, 2010. Ten units were delivered to the Kanagawa Prefecture Government, which decided to assign six Leafs for official use and the other four will be available for the car rental
service run by the local government. As of July 2011 more than 6,000 Leafs have been sold in Japan since December 2010.
Leaf in SV and SL trim levels. The SV trim level includes an advanced navigation system
and Internet
/smart phone connectivity to the vehicle. The SL trim level adds features, including rearview monitor, solar panel spoiler, fog lights, and automatic headlights for an additional . An optional CHAdeMO
fast charge receptacle can be added for , but is only available as a factory installed option, only on the SL model, and it is not compatible with the SAE J1772
standard connector now in use in the US. A cold weather package is available, standard in some states, optional in others. The package includes a temperature management system for the lithium ion battery, heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, rear seat heat duct and heated outside mirrors.
According to Nissan, the 2012 model year is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2011, and the Leaf's exterior and powertrain will not have any significant modifications. Minor upgrades for the 2012 Leaf include a quick charge port that will be standard on the SL trim, and the cold weather package will be standard on all Leafs; but pricing for both trims of the 2012 model year Leaf was increased. Nissan explained that these changes reflect customer preferences in the US based on actual orders of the 2011 model in the seven initial launch market states, as the SL trim was chosen by 95% of the buyers, and of those Leaf SLs, 90% had the DC quick charge.
Charging Options
Leaf customers have the option to buy a home charging station
through Nissan at cost of around including installation, which was eligible for a 50% federal tax credit up to until December 31, 2010, and afterwards the credit was reduced to 30% up to for individuals and for commercial buyers. The charging stations operate on a 240-volt supply and are built and installed by AeroVironment
. This one-stop-shop process includes a home assessment by a certified technician to ensure that the buyer's garage is plug-in ready. The Aerovironment charging dock is also available as a cash and carry purchase, with installation by any electrical contractor arranged separately. It was originally available for , but the price was increased in April, 2011 to .
Other options for level 2 charging of the Leaf include the Blink charging dock from ECOtality (also available through the EV Project), the Schneider Electric
Square-D, and the Evr-Green unit from Leviton
. A complete list of charging stations is available at Plug In America
. It is also possible to have the level 1 charging dock which comes with the Leaf modified to support both 120 volt and 240 volt charging, the latter at either 12 amps or 16 amps . The 16 amp modification provides the maximum current draw the Leaf can use, and thus charges at the same rate as the Aeorvironment charging dock. Various adapters allow using the modified unit with a wide range of 240 volt sockets. The modified unit provides the cheapest charging solution for those with a 240 volt socket available and is portable for use at other locations. Possible disadvantages include the lack of UL certification and the potential for theft since the unit is not hardwired.
EV Project
The US Department of Energy initially granted , and later awarded an additional , to Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec)
for the EV Project, that involves the installation of up to 11,210 charging stations in strategic markets in Phoenix
and Tucson, Arizona
; San Diego, California
; Portland
, Eugene
, Salem
and Corvallis, Oregon
, Seattle, Washington
; Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga
; Washington D.C.; Dallas, Fort Worth
, and Houston, Texas
. Nissan has partnered with eTec on this project and will supply 4,700 vehicles to individual and fleet customers in these areas.
The EV Project will collect and analyze data regarding vehicle use under different geographic and climatic conditions, for both commercial and public installations. The effectiveness of the deployed charge infrastructure will also be evaluated as part of the project and the lessons learned will be applied to improve the deployment of the full production number of Leafs and other EVs.
Price and government incentives
The base retail price
for the 2011 model year Leaf in the US was before any applicable tax incentive
s (federal tax credit
). Nissan also had a 36 month lease option for a month for the SV trim and a month for the SL trim, plus an initial payment of in both cases. For eligible customers there is a electric vehicle federal tax credit for up to a established by the American Clean Energy and Security Act
of 2009. The federal tax credit shrinks by automaker after it has sold at least 200,000 vehicles in the US, and then it phases out over a year. Nissan explained that it priced the Leaf lower in the US than in Japan because it wants to achieve higher sales in that market. Other state and local incentives are available and may further decrease the cost. California initially had a statewide rebate for FY 2010-2011 available through the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP), and it was decreased to for FY 2011-2012. Georgia
has a tax credit, and Oregon
has a tax credit.
The base retail price for the 2012 model year Leaf SV was increased to including a destination charge, and the 2012 Nissan SL is also priced higher, at . Both 2012 model trims include more standard equipment than the 2011 model. These prices do not include any federal or local government incentives or tax credits. The three-year lease for the 2012 Leaf SV was increased to , a increased over the lease rate for a 2011 model. Kelly Blue Book (KBB) estimates the 2012 Nissan Leaf's resale value at 39.0% of its original price after 3 years and 25.5% after 5 years. KBB explained that the residual value for a plug-in electric car is lower than the market 35.5% average due to the federal tax credit, which lowers the transction price and pushes the residual value lower.
Sales and regional launches
Nissan began the online-only reservation process on April 20, 2010, charging a fully refundable reservation fee that allowed customers to secure a place on the list to purchase or lease a Leaf. It limited reservations to one per household and by July 2010 it had received approximately 17,000 reservations. The carmaker reported that more than 55% of the reservations were from what Nissan calls its primary launch markets in California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Tennessee, where the carmaker has its US headquarters and an auto factory. By September 2010 Nissan announced it had reached 20,000 reservations, and it did not accept any more reservations for the remainder of 2010. In July 2011, Nissan stated that only 48% of Leaf reservations from the initial 2010 process materialized into firm orders.
Firm orders started in August, and deliveries began in select markets and limited quantities in December 2010, with availability increasing throughout 2011, and a full US market rollout scheduled for 2012. Nissan expects the Leaf to be available in 28 states by the end of 2011. Nissan initially limited Leaf sales among states that are home to the EV Project, which was awarded a grant from the United States Department of Energy
and is the largest electric vehicle and infrastructure deployment in the US. The first Leaf customer delivery took place in a Nissan dealership in Petaluma, California
on December 11, 2010, and it was followed by a commemoration event at San Francisco City Hall
Plaza. Nissan explained that the first delivery went to the first person in the United States to place a Nissan Leaf on-line order. During the following days similar first delivery events took place in San Diego, California
; Arizona
; Oregon
; and Washington, and Tennessee
. The first Leaf was delivered in Nashville, Tennessee
on December 21, 2010, which completed the first delivery in each of the first launch markets, and a total of 19 units were delivered that month. On June 1, 2011, Nissan stated that expects the total number of U.S. deliveries to be between 10,000 and 12,000 by the end of 2011, a drop from its original forecast of 20,000 sales. Cumulative sales through October 2011 reached 8,066 Leafs since its market launch in December 2010. Over 60% of the Leafs sold in the U.S. were bought in California.
In June 2011, it was reported that customers were frustrated as sales orders were delayed and there was a lack of communication with customers. Some who had placed reservations were dropped from the waiting list without explanation and some were asked to reapply if they couldn’t prove of arranging the installation of home-charging units that can cost more than . Some complained their delivery dates kept moving around.
Nissan reopened online reservations for the 2011 model year Leaf on May 1, 2011 in the seven initial launch states of Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Washington. Starting on July 27, 2011, Nissan opened up the 2012 model year Leaf ordering process to consumers with existing reservations the second group of launch markets, which includes Alabama
, Florida
, Georgia, Illinois
, Maryland
, Mississippi
, North Carolina
, South Carolina
, Virginia
, and Washington, D.C. Then, on August 4, Nissan reopened the reservation process to the general public in the first and second launch markets. By October 2011 Nissan had also opened orders for the 2012 Leaf to residents of Connecticut
, Massachusetts
, New Jersey
, New York
, Delaware
, Pennsylvania
, Rhode Island
, Indiana
, Louisiana
, Nevada
, and Ohio
. Deliveries of the first batch of 2012 model year Leafs is scheduled to begin in November 2011.
Use patterns and owners profile
Based on the aggregate information compiled until late April 2011 through the telematics systems included in all Leafs and reflecting the patterns of early adopters, Nissan found that the average trip length is 7 miles (11.3 km) and the average charging time is 2 hours and 11 minutes, with most owners charging on a Level 2, 220-volt charger at their homes. Nissan also found that early adopters are a combination of conscientious environmentalists and tech-savvy individuals. Additional information compiled until mid July 2011 and based on the owners profile from more than 4,000 Leaf delivered in the US market, Nissan found that the Leaf the primary vehicle for most owners; 60% of Leaf sales in the country took place in California, led by Los Angeles and San Francisco; Leaf owners drive less than 60 mi (96.6 km) a day; and the Toyota Prius
is the number one vehicle also owned by Leaf buyers, with 19%. The information compiled allowed Nissan to build a profile of the first owners, finding that Leaf buyers are college educated; have excellent credit, with an average credit score
of 750, and have a combined household income of a year.
Car rental availability
The Nissan Leaf will also be available through two car rental
companies and carsharing
services in selected markets. Enterprise Rent-A-Car
initially plans to offer about 500 vehicles at dealerships in Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland, and Seattle beginning in January 2011. The Leaf became available for rental at their Santa Monica, California
location in late March 2011. Hertz Rent-a-Car plans to offer the Leaf and other electric car
s at select locations in the US and Europe, including New York City; Washington, D.C.; and San Francisco in 2011. The Leaf will also be available at some Hertz on Demand carsharing locations, a service with operations in London, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, and 150 locations in the United States. The carsharing rental by the hour of the Leaf was scheduled to begin in New York City
on December 15, 2010.
Warranty
The Leaf's battery warranty is for eight years or 100000 miles (160,934 km). The warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship, but does not cover gradual loss of battery capacity, nor does it cover damage or failure resulting from not following the preventive actions recommended in the Leaf Owner's Manual for the lithium-ion battery, such as exposing the car to ambient temperatures above 120 °F (48.9 °C) for over 24 hours, or storing the Leaf in temperatures below -13 F for over 7 days.
Before the Leaf's market launch, Nissan conducted an e-mail survey in July 2010 among the 16,000 individuals that made a reservation in the US and a sample of other potential customers regarding the terms of the battery pack
guarantee. The survey was sent two days after General Motors announced that the Chevrolet Volt
's battery was guaranteed for eight years or 100000 miles (160,934 km). The multiple-choice survey had a batch of battery warranty related questions focused on the responder's preference between a five-year or 60000 miles (96,560.4 km) warranty or an eight-year or 100000 miles (160,934 km) warranty. A Nissan spokeswoman commented that the company wanted to hear from future Leaf drivers to ensure Nissan was meeting the expectations of the marketplace before making a decision on its warranty policy.
Marketing
In November 2009, Nissan launched the Zero Emission Tour, with stops in 22 North American cities. At each stop on the tour, visitors were able to view the car and learn about the benefits of zero-emission driving. The first stop of the tour was in Los Angeles
on November 13, 2009, a event that marked the unveiling of the LEAF in North America. Other stops on the tour included San Francisco; Seattle; Vancouver
; Las Vegas, Nevada
; Houston; Washington, D.C.
; and Orlando, Florida
. The tour ended in February 2010 in New York City
after visiting 24 cities, including two (Atlanta and Boston
) that were added to the original itinerary due to requests. Nissan estimates that 100,000 people saw the company’s lithium-ion battery car.
Nissan conducted a test drive
tour—dubbed the Drive Electric Tour—in several cities in the initial US launch markets. The tour began on October 1, 2010, at the AltCar Expo in Santa Monica, California, and continued in Anaheim, San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Jose. In November, the tour moved to Hillsboro, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; and San Francisco. The following month the tour continued in Tucson and Tempe, Arizona; and Austin, Texas. The cities to be visited in 2011 will be announced later, but the promotional tour is expected to end by March 2011.
As winner of the Taxi of Tomorrow competition, Nissan will sponsor a pilot program in New York City
with six Leafs and their charging station
s to study the use of zero-emission
electric vehicles as taxis. The Leafs will be deployed in the second quarter of 2012, one year before the winner Nissan NV200
taxis are introduced. The Leafs will be allocated to existing operators through a lease for a year free of charge.
Leaf sales in Australia are scheduled for 2012.
Brazil
In April 2010 Nissan signed an agreement with the municipal government of São Paulo
to deploy 50 Leafs for use in the city's Traffic Engineering Agency fleet. In exchange, the municipality will conduct feasibility studies regarding the use of the electric car in the city, including the deployment of the charging infrastructure
required, and how it will help to reduce air pollution. Deliveries are scheduled to begin during the first semester of 2011 and the demonstration project will end on December 2012. According to Nissan, a timeline for retail sales has not been set because of the high prices of electric cars in Brazil. The car maker is pursuing an exemption from the 35% import tax and the enactment of other federal government incentives to make the car affordable and competitive within the Brazilian market.
Hong Kong
In March 2011 an EV Pilot Program was launched in Hong Kong
as a collaboration between the government of Hong Kong special administrative region
and Nissan. The program began with a four-day test drive event open to the public. Nissan will deliver 200 Leafs to be used by the government, power companies and other private companies.
Mexico
In October 2009 Nissan reached an agreement with the local government of Mexico City
, by which 500 units of the Leaf will be delivered by 2011 for use of government and corporate fleets. In exchange, recharging infrastructure
will be deployed by the city government, and an exemption from the ownership tax is being pursued. This agreement will allow Mexico to become the first Latin American market where the Leaf will be available. The Leaf will be available for the general public starting in 2012. The city government also reached an agreement with Nissan in November 2010 in order for the first 100 Leafs to be introduced in the country to operate as part of the capital's taxi fleet. The first Leafs destined for the taxi fleet were delivered by late September 2011.
A number of customers have reported safety problems with the Antilock brakes: after an emergency braking event, and once the driver has released the brake pedals, the brakes remain in full force for some amount of time, increasing the risk of rear collisions.
at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon
. The Leaf Aero Style exterior features a new front bumper, extended side skirts, restyled mirrors, LED daytime driving lights, and special wheels.
Nissan unveiled the Leaf NISMO RC (Racing Competition) demonstrator at the 2011 New York International Auto Show
. This electric car shares the same battery pack as the Leaf but is designed and constructed as a real racing car with a full carbon fiber
monocoque body which makes it about 40 percent lighter than the production Leaf. The Nissan Leaf NISMO RC is projected to have a running time of around 20 minutes under racing conditions, and in preliminary testing it accelerated from 0 mile per hour in 6.85 seconds and has a top speed of 93 mph (41.6 m/s).
In 2009, a former Tesla Motors
marketing manager criticized Nissan about the cooling system chosen for thermal management in lithium-ion battery packs,. He also claimed there may also be an overestimation of the 100 miles (160.9 km) range that was computed using LA-4 or "city" mode, which may underestimate the energy draw during highway driving conditions.
The American magazine Consumer Reports
noted that while charger costs vary between and , an at-home charger and its installation cost more than even for simple installations. Nissan estimates a typical charger installation costs . The article did not mention that home charger installations are eligible for a 50% federal tax credit up to . Consumer Reports noted that the first 5,700 Leaf buyers will get free chargers with federal support in 13 cities. The consumer group also reminded that many older houses with only a 60–100 amp supply may need a panel upgrade to install a 240-volt circuit, which can cost several thousand dollars. The additional 220–240-volt charger is only required for countries (mainly the North / South American continent) that do not have a 220–240-volt domestic grid
and want faster charging than under 110–120-volt.
Currently, there is a variety of EVSE, or Charging Docks for the nissan LEAF, these include SPX, Schneider, Leviton, Aerovironment, Blink and GE; some of them are available for less than $850 and as the on-board charger in the LEAF only draws 16 Amps, many home installations can be as simple as adding a dedicated 20 Amp circuit and receptacle in the garage.
Consumer Reports also called buyers' attention to the fact that the Leaf's total out-of-pocket costs include a acquisition fee and a disposition fee. The consumer group also emphasized that the lease price of -a-month applies only to buyers with good credit (Tier 1, or a FICO score of 700 or above); for those with less than optimum credit, the monthly rate would increase. They reminded buyers that the lease comes with a 23,000 km/year (15,000-mile-per-year) allowance, but additional miles will cost extra.
The Leaf has received awards from multiple organizations. Notable awards include the inclusion by Time
magazine as one of the 50 best inventions of 2009. At the 2010 Washington Auto Show
, the Leaf was given the 2010 Green Car Vision Award
by the Green Car Journal
(GCJ), who noted that the Leaf "will provide the features, the styling, and the driving experience that will meet the needs of a sophisticated and demanding market, while producing zero localized emissions and requiring no petroleum fuels." Popular Mechanics
, upon awarding the Leaf its 2010 Breakthrough Award, explained that the Nissan Leaf is "not the first pure EV, but [...] hits the mainstream like none of its predecessors." Popular Mechanics also alluded to the Leaf's 100 miles (160.9 km) range, which is said to be "enough for most commuters for the price of an average vehicle – and with a much lower operating cost than gasoline-powered vehicles."
Other awards received by the Leaf include the 2011 European Car of the Year
, EV.com’s 2011 EV of the Year, 2011 Eco-Friendly Car of the Year by Cars.com
, 2011 Green Fleet Electric Vehicle of the Year, it was listed among the 2011 Greenest Vehicles of the Year by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
, and also was ranked first in Kelley Blue Book
Top 10 Green Cars for 2011. The Leaf won the 2011 World Car of the Year
, and was a finalist for the 2011 World Green Car. Ward's Auto
listed the Leaf's 80 kW electric motor in Ward's 10 Best Engines
for 2011. Until October 2011 the Leaf was ranked as the most efficient EPA certified vehicle for all fuels ever.
Battery electric vehicle
A battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs. BEVs use electric motors and motor controllers instead of, or in addition to, internal combustion engines for propulsion.A battery-only electric vehicle or...
, the Nissan Altra at the Los Angeles International Auto Show on 29 December 1997. The Altra EV was produced between 1998 and 2002, only about 200 vehicles were ever produced, and it was mainly used as a fleet vehicle for companies such as electric utilities. Nissan also developed the Nissan Hypermini
Nissan Hypermini
The Hypermini is a two-seater electric car produced by Nissan Motors. It was introduced in a limited way in Japan in 1999. It was launched for retail sale through Nissan dealers in the greater Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto metropolitan areas in February 2000, priced at 4,000,000 yen with a 200-volt...
, run a demonstration program and sold limited numbers for government and corporate fleets in Japan between 1999 and 2001. A small fleet of Hyperminis was also field tested in several cities in California between 2001 and 2005.
Unveiled in 2009, the EV-11 prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
electric car
Electric car
An electric car is an automobile which is propelled by electric motor, using electrical energy stored in batteries or another energy storage device. Electric cars were popular in the late-19th century and early 20th century, until advances in internal combustion engine technology and mass...
was based on the Nissan Tiida
Nissan Tiida
The Nissan Tiida is a compact car, manufactured by Japanese automaker Nissan, replacing the Pulsar and the Sunny, and marketed also as the Nissan Versa, prominently in the United States...
(Versa in North America), but with the conventional gasoline engine replaced with an all-electric drivetrain
Battery electric vehicle
A battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs. BEVs use electric motors and motor controllers instead of, or in addition to, internal combustion engines for propulsion.A battery-only electric vehicle or...
, and included an 80 kW/280 newton metre electric motor
Electric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
, 24 kW·h lithium-ion battery pack rated to have a range of 109 miles (175.4 km) on the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
's LA-4 or "city" driving cycle
Driving cycle
A driving cycle is a series of data points representing the speed of a vehicle versus time.Driving cycles are produced by different countries and organizations to assess the performance of vehicles in various ways, as for example fuel consumption and polluting emissions.Fuel consumption and...
, navigation system
Automotive navigation system
An automotive navigation system is a satellite navigation system designed for use in automobiles. It typically uses a GPS navigation device to acquire position data to locate the user on a road in the unit's map database. Using the road database, the unit can give directions to other locations...
, and remote control and monitoring
Remote diagnostics
Remote diagnostics is the act of diagnosing a given symptom, issue or problem from a distance. Instead of the subject being colocated with the person or system doing the diagnostics, with remote diagnostics the subjects can be separated by physical distance...
via a cellphone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
connection through Nissan's secure data center
Data center
A data center is a facility used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems...
to the car. The technology in the EV-11 was previously developed and tested in the EV-01 and EV-02 test cars, built with an all-electric powertrain
Powertrain
In a motor vehicle, the term powertrain or powerplant refers to the group of components that generate power and deliver it to the road surface, water, or air. This includes the engine, transmission, drive shafts, differentials, and the final drive...
that used the Nissan Cube
Nissan Cube
The Nissan Cube is a Mini MPV produced by Nissan for the Japanese market since 1998, and now sold in export markets such as North America and Europe.-First generation:...
(Z11) as a development mule
Development mule
A development mule or a test mule in the automotive industry is a vehicle equipped with experimental or prototype components for testing. Automakers evaluate aspects of vehicles before a full pre-production car is built to find problems. Mule cars are drivable, often years ahead of actual production...
. The EV-11 prototype was on display July 26, 2009. A week later, on August 2, 2009, Nissan unveiled its production version at its Yokohama headquarters and committed to begin retail sales in both the North American market and Japan at end of 2010.
Design
The Leaf's frontal style is characterized by a sharp V-shape design with large, up slanting light-emitting diode (LED) headlights that create a distinctive blue internal reflective design. The headlights also split and redirect airflow away from the door mirrors, which reduces wind noise and drag. The headlights consume 50% less electricity than halogen lamps. Nissan sought to make the Leaf appealing to mainstream drivers by giving it a familiar sedan- and hatchback-like design. The bottom of the car has aerodynamic paneling to reduce drag and improve aerodynamics as much as possible.Powertrain
Nissan says that the car has a top speed of over 150 km/h (93.2 mph). Its motor is rated at 80 kW and 280 newton metre. Unofficially, 0 to 60 mph0 to 60 mph
The time it takes to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph is a commonly used performance measure for automotive acceleration in the United States and the United Kingdom. In the rest of the world 0 to 100 km/h is used...
(0 to 97 km/h) performance has been tested at 9.9 seconds.
The Leaf uses a front-mounted electric motor
Electric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
driving the wheels, powered by a 24 kilowatt-hours (86,400,000 J) lithium ion battery
Lithium ion battery
A lithium-ion battery is a family of rechargeable battery types in which lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode during discharge, and back when charging. Chemistry, performance, cost, and safety characteristics vary across LIB types...
pack rated to deliver up to 90 kW power. The pack contains air-cooled, stacked laminar battery cells with lithium manganate cathodes. The battery and control module together weigh 300 kilograms (661.4 lb) and the specific energy
Specific energy
Specific energy is defined as the energy per unit mass. Common metric units are J/kg. It is an intensive property. Contrast this with energy, which is an extensive property. There are two main types of specific energy: potential energy and specific kinetic energy. Others are the gray and sievert,...
of the cells is 140 W·h/kg. Each battery pack costs Nissan an estimated . Under its five-cycle testing, the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
found the Leaf's energy consumption to be 765 kJ/km (34 kWh/100 miles) and rated the Leaf combined fuel economy
Fuel economy in automobiles
Fuel usage in automobiles refers to the fuel efficiency relationship between distance traveled by an automobile and the amount of fuel consumed....
equivalent
Miles per gallon gasoline equivalent
Miles per gallon gasoline equivalent is a measure of the average distance traveled per unit of energy consumed. MPGe is used by the U.S...
at 99 MPGe (2.4 L/100 km), with an equivalent 106 mpgU.S. (45.1 km/L) in city driving and 92 mpgU.S. (39.1 km/L) on highways.
Battery
The 24 kWh battery pack consists of 48 modules and each module contains four cells, a total of 192 cells, and is assembled by Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC) – a joint venture between Nissan, NECNEC
, a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government....
and NEC Energy Devices, at Zama, Japan.
The Leaf's design locates the battery, the heaviest part of any EV, below the seats and rear foot space, keeping the center of gravity as low as possible and increasing structural rigidity compared to a conventional five-door hatchback.
The battery pack is expected to retain 70% to 80% of its capacity after 10 years but its actual lifespan depends on how often fast charging (440-volt) is used and also on environmental factors. Nissan said the battery has a "lifespan of 5–10 years under normal use". The Leaf's battery is guaranteed by Nissan for eight years or 100000 miles (160,934 km) (see Warranty sub-section below under United States for limitations).
In addition to the main battery, the Leaf also has an auxiliary 12-volt
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
lead–acid battery that provides power to the car computer systems and accessories such as the audio system, supplemental restraint systems, headlights and windshield wipers. The small solar panel on the Leaf rear spoiler (in the United States, only comes with SL trim) helps to charge this accessory battery.
Nissan recommends owners the following preventive actions to help maximize the lithium-ion battery’s useful life and its ability to hold a charge:
- Avoid exposing a vehicle to ambient temperatures above 120 °F (48.9 °C) for over 24 hours.
- Avoid storing a vehicle in temperatures below -13 F for over 7 days.
- Avoid exceeding 70 to 80% state of chargeState of chargeState of charge is the equivalent of a fuel gauge for the battery pack in a battery electric vehicle , hybrid vehicle , or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle...
when using frequent (more than once per week) fast or quick charging. - Allow the battery charge to go below 80% before charging.
- Avoid leaving the vehicle for over 14 days where the Li-ion battery available charge gauge reaches a zero or near zero (state of charge).
Range
According to Nissan, the Leaf's expected all-electric rangeAll-electric range
All-electric range is the driving range of a vehicle using only power from its electric battery pack to traverse a given driving cycle. In the case of a battery electric vehicle, it means the total range per charge. For a plug-in hybrid , it means the range of the vehicle in charge-depleting mode...
is 100 miles (160.9 km) on the EPA city driving cycle and remains the same as the EV-11 prototype. However, the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
official range is 73 miles (117.5 km) based on the five-cycle tests using varying driving conditions and climate controls. The Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
, which is supposed to label all alternative-fuel vehicles, disagrees with the EPA rating, and considers that the correct range is between 96 to 110 mi (154.5 to 177 ). Although the FTC does not conduct its own tests as EPA does, it relies on a standard set by SAE International
SAE International
SAE International is an organization for engineering professionals in the aerospace, automotive, and commercial vehicle industries. The Society is a standards development organization for the engineering of powered vehicles of all kinds, including cars, trucks, boats, aircraft, and others.SAE...
and the results reported by automakers. The Leaf has a range of 175 km (108.7 mi) on the New European Driving Cycle
New European Driving Cycle
The New European Driving Cycle is a driving cycle consisting of four repeated ECE-15 driving cycles and an Extra-Urban driving cycle . The NEDC is supposed to represent the typical usage of a car in Europe, and is used, among other things, to assess the emission levels of car engines...
.
Based on third-party test drives carried out in the US, reviewers have found that the range available from a single charge can vary up to 40% in real-world situations; reports vary from about 62 miles (99.8 km) to almost 138 miles (222.1 km) depending on driving style, load, traffic conditions, weather (i.e. wind, atmospheric density), and accessory use. Nissan tested the Leaf under several scenarios to estimate real-world range figures, and obtained a worst case scenario of 47 miles (75.6 km) and a best case scenario of 138 miles (222.1 km). The following table summarizes the results under each scenario tested using EPA's L4 test cycle and presents EPA rating as a reference:
| Summary of the Nissan's results using EPA L4 test cycle operating the Leaf under different real-world scenarios |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driving condition |
Speed | Temperature | Total Drive Duration |
Range | Air conditioner |
|||
| mph | km/h | °F | °C | mi | km | |||
| Cruising (ideal condition) | 38 | 17 | 68 | 20 | 3 hr 38 min | 138 | 222.1 | Off |
| City traffic | 24 | 10.7 | 77 | 25 | 4 hr 23 min | 105 | 169 | Off |
| Highway | 55 | 24.6 | 95 | 35 | 1 hr 16 min | 70 | 112.7 | In use |
| Winter, stop-and-go traffic | 15 | 6.7 | 14 | -10 | 4 hr 08 min | 62 | 99.8 | Heater on |
| 3 | 86 | 30 | 7 hr 50 min | 47 | 75.6 | In use | ||
| EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress... five-cycle tests |
n.a. | 73 | 117.5 | Varying | ||||
Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports is an American magazine published monthly by Consumers Union since 1936. It publishes reviews and comparisons of consumer products and services based on reporting and results from its in-house testing laboratory. It also publishes cleaning and general buying guides...
tested a Leaf loaner under cold-weather driven as a daily commuter. The average range obtained was 65 miles (104.6 km) per charge with temperatures varying from 20 to 30 °F (-6.7 to -1.1 C). The magazine also reported one trip under a temperature of 10 °F (-12.2 °C) that began with the range panel indicator showing 20 miles (32.2 km) remaining. After 8 miles (12.9 km) the Leaf drastically lost power and dropped its speed and continued to run slower until the last stretch was completed almost at walking speed. Consumer Reports concluded that the Leaf works as designed under cold temperatures but a more accurate range indicator is desirable.
In June 2011 Nissan reported, based on data collected through the Leaf's advanced telematics system, that most Leaf owners in Japan and the United States drive distances less than 60 mile per day. Nissan also found that on average owners charge their electric cars for two hours a night, and occasionally some owners drive two days on one charge. In October 2011 Nissan North America reported that based on a bigger sample of 7,500 Leafs on the U.S. roads, the typical driver averages 37 mi (59.5 km) a day and the average trip length is 7 mi (11.3 km), measured as the distance between power on and power off.
Recharging
The Leaf has two charging receptacles: a standard SAE J1772SAE J1772
SAE J1772 is a North American standard for electrical connectors for electric vehicles maintained by the Society of Automotive Engineers and has the formal title "SAE Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J1772, SAE Electric VehicleConductive Charge Coupler”...
-2009 connector for level 1 and 2 charging (120/220 volts AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
) and a JARI high-voltage DC connector designed by TEPCO for DC fast charging (480 volts DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
125 amps) using the CHAdeMO
CHAdeMO
CHAdeMO is the trade name of a quick charging method for battery electric vehicles delivering up to 62.5 kW of high-voltage direct current via a special electrical connector....
protocol.
Using the on-board 3.3 kW charger the Leaf can be fully recharged from empty in 8 hours from a 220/240-volt 30 amp supply (5.2 kW allowable draw) that can provide the on-board charger its full 3.3 kW of usable power.
In North America and Japan using a standard household outlet
Mains electricity
Mains is the general-purpose alternating current electric power supply. In the US, electric power is referred to by several names including household power, household electricity, powerline, domestic power, wall power, line power, AC power, city power, street power, and grid power...
(120-volt, 15 amp breaker, 12 amp maximum allowable draw, 1.4 kW) and the 7.5 metres (24.6 ft) cable included by Nissan, the Leaf will regain approximately 5 miles of range per hour. This type of charging is intended for convenience use when making stops or for emergency charging if you are within a short range of the charging destination.
United States electrical regulations require a 240-volt charging station
Charging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
to be permanently wired to an AC outlet unless proper interlock mechanisms are available to ensure the charging current can be safely turned on and off. Nissan selected AeroVironment
AeroVironment
AeroVironment Inc. is a technology company in Monrovia, California, and Simi Valley, California, that is primarily involved in energy systems, electric vehicle systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles . Paul B. MacCready, Jr., a famous designer of human powered aircraft, founded the company in 1971...
to supply its charging dock and installation services in North America
(see the United States section below for more details).
Using DC fast charging, the battery pack can be charged to 80% capacity in about 30 minutes.
Nissan developed its own 500-volt DC fast charger that went on sale in Japan for (around ) in May 2010 and plans to install 200 at dealers in Japan. Nissan warns that if fast charging is the primary way of recharging, then the normal and gradual battery capacity loss is about 10% more than regular 220-volt charging over a 10-year period. Other companies make compatible charging stations, and companies and local government have various initiatives to create networks of public charging stations (see electric vehicle network
Electric vehicle network
An electric vehicle network is a proposed infrastructure system of publicly accessible charging stations and possibly battery swap stations to recharge electric vehicles....
).
Nissan plans to double the power of the on-board charger to 6.6 kW by sometime in 2012 (2012 or 2013 model year). They are also studying the possibility of offering upgrades for the 2011 year model.
Technology
The Nissan Leaf employs an advanced telematicsTelematics
Telematics typically is any integrated use of telecommunications and informatics, also known as ICT...
system called "Carwings" which originally was only available in Japan. The system sends and receives data via a built-in GPRS radio similar to the connectivity of mobile phones. Carwings is connected any time the car is in range of a cell tower and it makes possible several user functionalities, such as position and possible range on a map and which charging stations are available within range. The system also tracks and compiles statistics about distance traveled and energy consumption and produces daily, monthly and annual reports of these and several other operational parameters. All information is available in the Leaf's digital screens. Users' mobile phones can be used to turn on the air-conditioner and heater, and reset charging functions even when the vehicle is powered down. This remote functionality can be used to pre-heat or pre-cool the car prior to use while it is still charging so that less energy from the battery is used for climate control. An on-board remote-controlled timer can also be pre-programmed to recharge batteries at a set time such as during off-peak rates. The Leaf's SL trim has a small solar panel at the rear of the roof/spoiler that can trickle charge the auxiliary battery.
Due to significant noise reduction typical of electric vehicle
Electric vehicle
An electric vehicle , also referred to as an electric drive vehicle, uses one or more electric motors or traction motors for propulsion...
s that travel at low speeds, the Leaf includes digital warning sounds
Electric vehicle warning sounds
Electric vehicle warning sounds are a series of sounds designed to alert pedestrians to the presence of electric drive vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles , plug-in hybrid electric vehicles , and all-electric vehicles travelling at low speeds...
, one for forward motion and another for reverse, to alert pedestrians, the blind, and others of its presence. For this purpose Nissan created the Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians (VSP) system, which also will be used in the upcoming Nissan Fuga hybrid, due in 2011. The system developed makes a noise easy to hear for those outside in order to be aware of the vehicle approaching, but the warning sounds do not distract the car occupants inside. Nissan explained that during the development of the sound, they studied behavioral research of the visually impaired and worked with cognitive and acoustic psychologists. The sine-wave sound system sweeps from 2.5 kHz at the high end to a low of 600 Hz, an easily audible range across age groups. Depending on the speed and if the Leaf is accelerating or decelerating, the sound system makes sweeping, high-low sounds. The sound system ceases operation when the Nissan Leaf reaches 30 kilometres per hour (19 mph) and engages again as car slows to under 25 kilometres per hour (16 mph). The driver can turn off sounds temporarily through a switch inside the vehicle, but the system automatically resets to "On" at the next ignition cycle. The system is controlled through a computer and synthesizer in the dash panel, and the sound is delivered through a speaker in the front driver’s side wheel well. After the new sounds were publicized, the US National Federation of the Blind commented that "while it was pleased that the alert existed, it was unhappy that the driver was able to turn it off."
Safety
The Nissan Leaf qualified as winner of "Top Safety Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyInsurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes, and the rate of injuries and amount of property damage in the crashes that...
. The Leaf received the top ratings of "Good" for front, side, and rear impact crash tests, and also on rollover protection. All injury measurements except one were rated good, indicating a low risk of significant injuries in crashes according to the scale of severity employed in the IIHS’s testing. The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) awarded the Leaf the highest five star car safety rating, earning the following ratings for each criteria:
Production
The first vehicles sold in the US were produced at Nissan’s plant in Oppama, Japan, which started production on October 22, 2010. The plant is said to have an annual production capacity of 50,000 vehicles.In early March 2011, shortly before the earthquake in Japan
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
Nissan stated that 10,000 Leafs would be produced by the end of March, and production would reach 4,000 cars per month. Production for May 2011 was expected to be limited only by parts availability.
Commercial US production is slated to begin in late 2012 at Nissan's manufacturing facility in Smyrna, Tennessee
Smyrna, Tennessee
Smyrna is a town in Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. Smyrna's population was 25,569 people at the 2000 census. The Census estimate of the 2009 population is 39,142.-Geography:Smyrna is located at ....
. This US plant will be modified with a loan granted by the US Department of Energy to allow the manufacturing plant to produce the Nissan Leaf and its advanced batteries. The retooled plant is expected to create 1,300 jobs. The Smyrna plant is expected to produce up to 150,000 vehicles and 200,000 battery packs annually.
The Leaf will also be produced at Nissan's plant in Sunderland
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
, England, beginning in 2013. Nissan will benefit from a grant from the British government and up to from the European Investment Bank
European Investment Bank
The European Investment Bank is the European Union's long-term lending institution established in 1958 under the Treaty of Rome. A policy-driven bank, the EIB supports the EU’s priority objectives, especially European integration and the development of economically weak regions...
. The plant will produce 60,000 lithium-ion batteries a year, and it also is expected to deliver 50,000 Leaf EVs a year. Once production starts at the Sunderland plant, Nissan expects to reduce the Leaf price in the European market by 2013.
Markets
Nissan officially introduced the Leaf in a ceremony held at its global headquarters in YokohamaYokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
on December 3, 2010. The first US customer delivery took place in Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
on December 11, 2010 and the first delivery in Japan took place at the Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
on December 22. Deliveries to individual customers began in Ireland in February 2011, in the UK in March 2011, and in France in August 2011. Deliveries to corporate customers began in Portugal in December 2010, in the Netherlands in March 2011, and in Canada in July 2011. Sales to individuals are scheduled to begin in Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, and Norway in the second half of 2011, with global market availability planned for 2012. As of July 2011, more than 6,000 Leafs had been delivered in Japan, more than 700 units in the UK as of August 2011, and 8,066 units sold in the US through October 2011. Worldwide cumulative sales since December 2010 surpassed 20,000 units by November 2011.
The Leaf does not have the Renault-Nissan's QuickDrop battery swap feature, but the alliance's partnership with Better Place influenced Nissan's distribution plan for the US which was based upon availability of electric vehicle network
Electric vehicle network
An electric vehicle network is a proposed infrastructure system of publicly accessible charging stations and possibly battery swap stations to recharge electric vehicles....
s.
Canada
Fleet deliveries in Canada began on July 29, 2011. The 2011 Leaf price was set at , and the initial roll-out is limited to selected markets and in very limited quantities. Deliveries to individuals began in late September 2011, and a total of 27 Leafs were sold during October 2011, the first full month the electric car was in the market.Nissan expects to deliver about 100 model year 2011 Leafs before the arrival of the 2012 models. The order process for individual began on August 27, 2011, and the only 40 model year 2011 Leafs were allocated in two hours. For the 2012 model Nissan expects to release only around 600 Leafs in Canada.
The 2011 Canadian Leaf comes with additional equipment useful for colder weather, such as heated front and rear seats, steering wheel, and outside mirrors. Other modifications include a battery heater system and a HVAC duct to the rear seating area.
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
residents will be eligible for a rebate of . The rebate is available for purchasing or leasing a plug-in electric vehicle
Plug-in electric vehicle
A plug-in electric vehicle is any motor vehicle that can be recharged from any external source of electricity, such as wall sockets, and the electricity stored in the rechargeable battery packs drives or contributes to drive the wheels...
s to the first 10,000 applicants who qualify. Residents of the Province of Quebec are eligible for a refundable tax credit that will be replaced with a purchase or lease rebate program on January 1, 2012. Communauto
Communauto
Communauto is a company based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, that operates a carsharing service in 4 cities in Quebec: Montreal, Quebec City, Gatineau and Sherbrooke. It currently has 25,000 users who share a fleet of approximately 1300 vehicles...
, the oldest carsharing service in North America, will add 50 Nissan Leaf to its fleet in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
when the vehicle becomes available to the Canadian market. The Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
-based car co-op Modo has one Nissan Leaf on its fleet, a first for Western Canada.
China
In September 2011 Nissan announced it has received government's approval to begin selling the Leaf in ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
by October 2011. The Leaf is expected to be sold at around . Initially Nissan plans to release the Leaf in limited quantities to government customers. In November 2011 Nissan began deliveries of the first 15 Leafs out of 25 allocated to the municipal government of Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
as part of a pilot outreach program. Another objective of the program is to provide feedback for planning the full-fledged rollout of electric cars in the Chinese market.
Europe
The Leaf was launched in Europe in early 2011. European prices, which include the cost of the battery, are almost more than the US price. Most countries, except the Netherlands, have government incentives at the point of sale. Nissan also said that "the Leaf would allow owners to save a year in fuel costs compared with an equivalent internal combustion model." Nissan explained that its decision to launch in the selected four countries first is due to the existing government incentives for electric cars and the ongoing efforts to deploy charging infrastructureCharging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
. The Leaf will be available in the other major Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
an countries by late 2011. According to Nissan, 12,000 European customers signed up to receive regular updates, and the company began taking orders in Portugal and Ireland on July 30, 2010. The process started in the UK in September 2010.
| Nissan Leaf sales price by market (without any government tax credits or grants Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles have been established by several national and local governments around the world as a financial incentive for consumers to purchase a plug-in electric vehicle.... ) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | | Equivalent US$(1) | |Market launch |
|
| million | Dec 2010 | ||
| (MY Model year The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product.... 2011) |
Dec 2010 | ||
| (MY Model year The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product.... 2012) |
Sep 2011 | ||
| Jan 2011 | |||
| Feb 2011 | |||
| Mar 2011 | |||
| Mar 2011 | |||
| Jul 2011 | |||
| Aug 2011 | |||
| 200,000 yuan Chinese yuan The yuan is the base unit of a number of modern Chinese currencies. The yuan is the primary unit of account of the Renminbi.A yuán is also known colloquially as a kuài . One yuán is divided into 10 jiǎo or colloquially máo... |
Oct 2011 | ||
| 255,000 kr Norwegian krone The krone is the currency of Norway and its dependent territories. The plural form is kroner . It is subdivided into 100 øre. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr. The name translates into English as "crown"... |
Oct 2011 | ||
| Nov 2011 | |||
| 3Q 2011 | |||
| 3Q 2011 | |||
| Feb 2012 | |||
| Early 2012 | |||
| 290,690 kr | Early 2012 | ||
| Note 1: Exchange rates as of June 21, 2011. | |||
Belgium
Leaf deliveries in the Belgian market are scheduled for the third quarter of 2011 at a price of including VAT
Vat
Vat or VAT may refer to:* A type of container such as a barrel, storage tank, or tub, often constructed of welded sheet stainless steel, and used for holding, storing, and processing liquids such as milk, wine, and beer...
and before a federal income tax credit of up to is applied. The Wallonia regional government provides an additional eco-bonus for cars registered before December 31, 2011. The reservation process will start in late June 2011 and Nissan is charging a fully refundable reservation fee.
Denmark
The Leaf is scheduled for deliveries in Denmark by early 2012, at a price of 290,690 Danish kroner (kr) including VAT. Even though the government does not have any purchase rebates, as an all-electric vehicle weighing under 2,000 kg, the Leaf is exempted from the new car registration tax, which can amount to more than 130,000 kr on a vehicle the size of a Leaf, and is also exempt from public parking fees and toll payments.
France
Leaf deliveries in the French market began in August 2011 at a price of before a government subsidy is applied.
Germany
Due to the lack of government purchase subsidies, Germany is one of the last European countries where the Leaf will be deployed. The only incentive available is an exemption from the annual circulation tax for a period of five years from the date of first registration. The launch is planned for February 2012.
Ireland
The Leaf was launched in Ireland in February 2011 at a price of after a government incentive is applied. Buyers are exempted from the vehicle registration tax. The first Leaf was delivered on February 21, 2011.
Netherlands
According to Nissan, the Leaf roll-out in the Netherlands was rescheduled from December 2010 to June 2011 due to the high demand. The price is . Existing incentives include total exemption of the registration fee and road taxes, which result in savings of approximately for private car owners over four years and for corporate owners over five years. Leaf buyers will also have access to parking spaces in Amsterdam reserved for battery electric vehicle
Battery electric vehicle
A battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs. BEVs use electric motors and motor controllers instead of, or in addition to, internal combustion engines for propulsion.A battery-only electric vehicle or...
s, so Leaf buyers will avoid the current wait for a parking place in Amsterdam, which can reach up to 10 years in some parts of the city.
Deliveries to fleet customers began in March 2011, and the first Leafs were delivered to LeasePlan, the City of Amsterdam and BAM Building Contractors. These first units are part of a pilot program that Nissan had agreed on with the City of Amsterdam.
Norway
Leaf sales in the Norwegian market began in October 2011 at a price of 255,000 krone
Norwegian krone
The krone is the currency of Norway and its dependent territories. The plural form is kroner . It is subdivided into 100 øre. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr. The name translates into English as "crown"...
. There are no direct government subsidies to the purchase price, but the Leaf, as all other electric cars, is exempt from all non-recurring vehicle fees, including sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
(VAT), the annual road tax
Road tax
Road tax, known by various names around the world, is a tax which has to be paid on a motor vehicle before using it on a public road.-Australia:...
, all public parking fees
Free Parking
Free Parking is a Parker Brothers card game inspired by the "Free Parking" space of the Monopoly board game.The game is played by two to four players, and game play focuses around using time on a parking meter to gain points; the first to 200 points wins. Each player has their own parking meter and...
, and toll payments
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
, as well as being able to use bus lane
Bus lane
A bus lane or bus only lane is a lane restricted to buses, and generally used to speed up public transport that would be otherwise held up by traffic congestion...
s. During the first three days since it went on sale, a total of 600 Leafs were sold. Deliveries began in November 2011.
Portugal
Leaf retail deliveries in Portugal began in January 2011 at a price of after a government subsidy. Some consumers might benefit from an additional incentive if they turn in their used car as part of the down payment for the new electric car. As of May 2010 there are only about a dozen recharging stations in the country, but the government expects to deploy 320 before the end of 2010 and 1,300 by the end of 2011. On December 22, 2010 in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
Nissan delivered the first nine Leafs to its commercial customer the MOBI.E consortium, and another unit to the Portuguese government as a loan for trial purposes. Deliveries for individual customers will begin in early 2011.
Spain
The Leaf is scheduled to be launched in Spain in September 2011 at a price of before a government subsidy is applied. The reservation process began in May 2011 and Nissan is charging a fully refundable reservation fee.
Sweden
Leaf deliveries in the Swedish market are scheduled to begin in early 2012 at a price of including VAT and before a government subsidy is applied. All Leafs will be equipped with the cold-weather package.
Switzerland
The Leaf is scheduled to be launched in November 2011 at a price of . The Swiss government does not have any subsidies or incentives for purchasing plug-in electric vehicles.
United Kingdom
The Leaf went on sale in the United Kingdom at a price of which includes the new 20% VAT
Vat
Vat or VAT may refer to:* A type of container such as a barrel, storage tank, or tub, often constructed of welded sheet stainless steel, and used for holding, storing, and processing liquids such as milk, wine, and beer...
and after discounting the Plug-in Car Grant of that came into effect in January 2011. Despite the government incentive, at that price the Leaf is still around more expensive than the price of a basic Toyota Prius
Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius is a full hybrid electric mid-size hatchback, formerly a compact sedan developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation...
.
On February 24, 2011, it was reported that on March 1, 2011 the price of Leaf would increase by (about ). Orders and pre-orders placed before that date would receive the old price. Nissan delayed the beginning of deliveries in order to remove the Leaf's electric warning sound for pedestrians
Electric vehicle warning sounds
Electric vehicle warning sounds are a series of sounds designed to alert pedestrians to the presence of electric drive vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles , plug-in hybrid electric vehicles , and all-electric vehicles travelling at low speeds...
, as UK law mandates that any hazard warning sound must be capable of being disabled between 11:00 pm and 6:00 am, and the Leaf's audible warning system does not allow for such temporary deactivation. Deliveries to individual customers began on March 21, 2011.
As of August 2011 there were only 26 Nissan dealers selling and equipped to service the Leaf, and more than 700 Leafs have been sold in the UK. Nissan expects that by 2013, when the Sunderland
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
plant starts production, all dealers in the country will be equipped to sell the electric car.
Japan
The price of the Leaf in Japan starts at million (approximately ) before any current tax breaks. The Leaf is eligible for a government tax credit if current incentives continue through fiscal year 2010, which reduce the net price to million . The Leaf is also exempted from the car-weight and car-acquisition taxes.Nissan offers customers various purchasing methods, including a financing program that allows consumers to pay and then a monthly fee of , which includes electricity costs. Other services that are available include assistance from Nissan dealers to customers in the installation of charging facilities in their homes. Nissan committed to install 200-volt regular chargers at 2,200 Nissan dealers nationwide before December 2010; about 200 dealers would also have quick-charging facilities that provide 80% of battery capacity in less than 30 minutes. Nissan guarantees the availability of at least one quick-charge unit within a 40-kilometer radius throughout the country. The 220 V quick charger went on sale on May 2010 for (around ) excluding taxes and installation. The quick chargers were developed by Nissan but they also work with electric cars from other automakers. Nissan offers variants built for hot and cold climate for and respectively.
The Leaf pre-order process began on April 1, 2010 through Nissan dealers across Japan. During the first three weeks, individuals accounted for 64% of the pre-orders, and fleet orders represented the remaining 36%. Among individuals, older consumers (age 50 and higher) accounted for 61% of the orders. As of late May 2010, Nissan claimed it had already received 6,000 pre-orders, which allowed it to reach its Japan sales target for FY2010. The first Leaf delivery took place at the Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
on December 22, 2010. Ten units were delivered to the Kanagawa Prefecture Government, which decided to assign six Leafs for official use and the other four will be available for the car rental
Car rental
A car rental or car hire agency is a company that rents automobiles for short periods of time for a fee...
service run by the local government. As of July 2011 more than 6,000 Leafs have been sold in Japan since December 2010.
United States
Nissan offers the 2011 model yearModel year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
Leaf in SV and SL trim levels. The SV trim level includes an advanced navigation system
Navigation system
A navigation system is a system that aids is navigation. Navigation systems may be entirely on board a vehicle or vessel, or they may be located elsewhere and communicate via radio or other signals with a vehicle or vessel, or they may use a combination of these methods.Navigation systems may be...
and Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
/smart phone connectivity to the vehicle. The SL trim level adds features, including rearview monitor, solar panel spoiler, fog lights, and automatic headlights for an additional . An optional CHAdeMO
CHAdeMO
CHAdeMO is the trade name of a quick charging method for battery electric vehicles delivering up to 62.5 kW of high-voltage direct current via a special electrical connector....
fast charge receptacle can be added for , but is only available as a factory installed option, only on the SL model, and it is not compatible with the SAE J1772
SAE J1772
SAE J1772 is a North American standard for electrical connectors for electric vehicles maintained by the Society of Automotive Engineers and has the formal title "SAE Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J1772, SAE Electric VehicleConductive Charge Coupler”...
standard connector now in use in the US. A cold weather package is available, standard in some states, optional in others. The package includes a temperature management system for the lithium ion battery, heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, rear seat heat duct and heated outside mirrors.
According to Nissan, the 2012 model year is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2011, and the Leaf's exterior and powertrain will not have any significant modifications. Minor upgrades for the 2012 Leaf include a quick charge port that will be standard on the SL trim, and the cold weather package will be standard on all Leafs; but pricing for both trims of the 2012 model year Leaf was increased. Nissan explained that these changes reflect customer preferences in the US based on actual orders of the 2011 model in the seven initial launch market states, as the SL trim was chosen by 95% of the buyers, and of those Leaf SLs, 90% had the DC quick charge.
Charging Options
Leaf customers have the option to buy a home charging station
Charging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
through Nissan at cost of around including installation, which was eligible for a 50% federal tax credit up to until December 31, 2010, and afterwards the credit was reduced to 30% up to for individuals and for commercial buyers. The charging stations operate on a 240-volt supply and are built and installed by AeroVironment
AeroVironment
AeroVironment Inc. is a technology company in Monrovia, California, and Simi Valley, California, that is primarily involved in energy systems, electric vehicle systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles . Paul B. MacCready, Jr., a famous designer of human powered aircraft, founded the company in 1971...
. This one-stop-shop process includes a home assessment by a certified technician to ensure that the buyer's garage is plug-in ready. The Aerovironment charging dock is also available as a cash and carry purchase, with installation by any electrical contractor arranged separately. It was originally available for , but the price was increased in April, 2011 to .
Other options for level 2 charging of the Leaf include the Blink charging dock from ECOtality (also available through the EV Project), the Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is a French global company. It was founded in 1836 by two brothers, Eugène and Adolphe Schneider.In the first part of the 20th century, Schneider et Cie associated itself with Westinghouse Systems, a major international electrical group at the time. The group began manufacturing...
Square-D, and the Evr-Green unit from Leviton
Leviton
Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc., is the largest privately held manufacturer of electrical wiring equipment in North America. It produces electrical products: light sockets, receptacles , dimmers and other lighting control systems, wire, power cables, power cords, wall and ceiling occupancy...
. A complete list of charging stations is available at Plug In America
Plug In America
Plug In America is a 501 non-profit educational organization that promotes and advocates the use of plug-in cars, trucks and sports utlilty vehicles powered by domestic and renewable electricity which it claims will help reduce dependence on fossil fuels, improve the global environment and...
. It is also possible to have the level 1 charging dock which comes with the Leaf modified to support both 120 volt and 240 volt charging, the latter at either 12 amps or 16 amps . The 16 amp modification provides the maximum current draw the Leaf can use, and thus charges at the same rate as the Aeorvironment charging dock. Various adapters allow using the modified unit with a wide range of 240 volt sockets. The modified unit provides the cheapest charging solution for those with a 240 volt socket available and is portable for use at other locations. Possible disadvantages include the lack of UL certification and the potential for theft since the unit is not hardwired.
EV Project
The US Department of Energy initially granted , and later awarded an additional , to Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec)
Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation
The Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of ECOtality that conducts research, development and testing of advanced transportation and energy systems. eTec's efforts are focused on alternative-fuel, hybrid and electric vehicles and infrastructures...
for the EV Project, that involves the installation of up to 11,210 charging stations in strategic markets in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
and Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
; San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
; Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
and Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
, Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
; Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
; Washington D.C.; Dallas, Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, and Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. Nissan has partnered with eTec on this project and will supply 4,700 vehicles to individual and fleet customers in these areas.
The EV Project will collect and analyze data regarding vehicle use under different geographic and climatic conditions, for both commercial and public installations. The effectiveness of the deployed charge infrastructure will also be evaluated as part of the project and the lessons learned will be applied to improve the deployment of the full production number of Leafs and other EVs.
Price and government incentives
The base retail price
Suggested retail price
The manufacturer's suggested retail price , list price or recommended retail price of a product is the price which the manufacturer recommends that the retailer sell the product. The intention was to help to standardise prices among locations...
for the 2011 model year Leaf in the US was before any applicable tax incentive
Tax incentive
A tax incentive is an aspect of the tax code designed to incentivize, or encourage, a certain type of behavior. This may be accomplished through means including tax holidays, tax deductions, or tax abatements...
s (federal tax credit
Tax credit
A tax credit is a sum deducted from the total amount a taxpayer owes to the state. A tax credit may be granted for various types of taxes, such as an income tax, property tax, or VAT. It may be granted in recognition of taxes already paid, as a subsidy, or to encourage investment or other behaviors...
). Nissan also had a 36 month lease option for a month for the SV trim and a month for the SL trim, plus an initial payment of in both cases. For eligible customers there is a electric vehicle federal tax credit for up to a established by the American Clean Energy and Security Act
American Clean Energy and Security Act
The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 was an energy bill in the 111th United States Congress that would have established a variant of an emissions trading plan similar to the European Union Emission Trading Scheme...
of 2009. The federal tax credit shrinks by automaker after it has sold at least 200,000 vehicles in the US, and then it phases out over a year. Nissan explained that it priced the Leaf lower in the US than in Japan because it wants to achieve higher sales in that market. Other state and local incentives are available and may further decrease the cost. California initially had a statewide rebate for FY 2010-2011 available through the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP), and it was decreased to for FY 2011-2012. Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
has a tax credit, and Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
has a tax credit.
The base retail price for the 2012 model year Leaf SV was increased to including a destination charge, and the 2012 Nissan SL is also priced higher, at . Both 2012 model trims include more standard equipment than the 2011 model. These prices do not include any federal or local government incentives or tax credits. The three-year lease for the 2012 Leaf SV was increased to , a increased over the lease rate for a 2011 model. Kelly Blue Book (KBB) estimates the 2012 Nissan Leaf's resale value at 39.0% of its original price after 3 years and 25.5% after 5 years. KBB explained that the residual value for a plug-in electric car is lower than the market 35.5% average due to the federal tax credit, which lowers the transction price and pushes the residual value lower.
Sales and regional launches
Nissan began the online-only reservation process on April 20, 2010, charging a fully refundable reservation fee that allowed customers to secure a place on the list to purchase or lease a Leaf. It limited reservations to one per household and by July 2010 it had received approximately 17,000 reservations. The carmaker reported that more than 55% of the reservations were from what Nissan calls its primary launch markets in California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Tennessee, where the carmaker has its US headquarters and an auto factory. By September 2010 Nissan announced it had reached 20,000 reservations, and it did not accept any more reservations for the remainder of 2010. In July 2011, Nissan stated that only 48% of Leaf reservations from the initial 2010 process materialized into firm orders.
Firm orders started in August, and deliveries began in select markets and limited quantities in December 2010, with availability increasing throughout 2011, and a full US market rollout scheduled for 2012. Nissan expects the Leaf to be available in 28 states by the end of 2011. Nissan initially limited Leaf sales among states that are home to the EV Project, which was awarded a grant from the United States Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
and is the largest electric vehicle and infrastructure deployment in the US. The first Leaf customer delivery took place in a Nissan dealership in Petaluma, California
Petaluma, California
Petaluma is a city in Sonoma County, California, in the United States. In the 2010 Census the population was 57,941.Located in Petaluma is the Rancho Petaluma Adobe, a National Historic Landmark. It was built beginning in 1836 by General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, then Commandant of the San...
on December 11, 2010, and it was followed by a commemoration event at San Francisco City Hall
San Francisco City Hall
San Francisco City Hall, re-opened in 1915, in its open space area in the city's Civic Center, is a Beaux-Arts monument to the City Beautiful movement that epitomized the high-minded American Renaissance of the 1880s to 1917. The structure's dome is the fifth largest in the world...
Plaza. Nissan explained that the first delivery went to the first person in the United States to place a Nissan Leaf on-line order. During the following days similar first delivery events took place in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
; Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
; Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
; and Washington, and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. The first Leaf was delivered in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
on December 21, 2010, which completed the first delivery in each of the first launch markets, and a total of 19 units were delivered that month. On June 1, 2011, Nissan stated that expects the total number of U.S. deliveries to be between 10,000 and 12,000 by the end of 2011, a drop from its original forecast of 20,000 sales. Cumulative sales through October 2011 reached 8,066 Leafs since its market launch in December 2010. Over 60% of the Leafs sold in the U.S. were bought in California.
In June 2011, it was reported that customers were frustrated as sales orders were delayed and there was a lack of communication with customers. Some who had placed reservations were dropped from the waiting list without explanation and some were asked to reapply if they couldn’t prove of arranging the installation of home-charging units that can cost more than . Some complained their delivery dates kept moving around.
Nissan reopened online reservations for the 2011 model year Leaf on May 1, 2011 in the seven initial launch states of Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Washington. Starting on July 27, 2011, Nissan opened up the 2012 model year Leaf ordering process to consumers with existing reservations the second group of launch markets, which includes Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Georgia, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and Washington, D.C. Then, on August 4, Nissan reopened the reservation process to the general public in the first and second launch markets. By October 2011 Nissan had also opened orders for the 2012 Leaf to residents of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Deliveries of the first batch of 2012 model year Leafs is scheduled to begin in November 2011.
Use patterns and owners profile
Based on the aggregate information compiled until late April 2011 through the telematics systems included in all Leafs and reflecting the patterns of early adopters, Nissan found that the average trip length is 7 miles (11.3 km) and the average charging time is 2 hours and 11 minutes, with most owners charging on a Level 2, 220-volt charger at their homes. Nissan also found that early adopters are a combination of conscientious environmentalists and tech-savvy individuals. Additional information compiled until mid July 2011 and based on the owners profile from more than 4,000 Leaf delivered in the US market, Nissan found that the Leaf the primary vehicle for most owners; 60% of Leaf sales in the country took place in California, led by Los Angeles and San Francisco; Leaf owners drive less than 60 mi (96.6 km) a day; and the Toyota Prius
Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius is a full hybrid electric mid-size hatchback, formerly a compact sedan developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation...
is the number one vehicle also owned by Leaf buyers, with 19%. The information compiled allowed Nissan to build a profile of the first owners, finding that Leaf buyers are college educated; have excellent credit, with an average credit score
Credit score (United States)
A credit score in the United States is a number representing the creditworthiness of a person, the likelihood that person will pay his or her debts....
of 750, and have a combined household income of a year.
Car rental availability
The Nissan Leaf will also be available through two car rental
Car rental
A car rental or car hire agency is a company that rents automobiles for short periods of time for a fee...
companies and carsharing
Carsharing
Car sharing or Carsharing is a model of car rental where people rent cars for short periods of time, often by the hour. They are attractive to customers who make only occasional use of a vehicle, as well as others who would like occasional access to a vehicle of a different type than they use...
services in selected markets. Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise Holdings, Inc. is a privately held company formed in 2009 to operate rental car subsidiaries: Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, Alamo Rent A Car, WeCar and its commercial fleet management, used car sales, and commercial truck rental operations.Enterprise Holdings was formed as...
initially plans to offer about 500 vehicles at dealerships in Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland, and Seattle beginning in January 2011. The Leaf became available for rental at their Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
location in late March 2011. Hertz Rent-a-Car plans to offer the Leaf and other electric car
Electric car
An electric car is an automobile which is propelled by electric motor, using electrical energy stored in batteries or another energy storage device. Electric cars were popular in the late-19th century and early 20th century, until advances in internal combustion engine technology and mass...
s at select locations in the US and Europe, including New York City; Washington, D.C.; and San Francisco in 2011. The Leaf will also be available at some Hertz on Demand carsharing locations, a service with operations in London, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, and 150 locations in the United States. The carsharing rental by the hour of the Leaf was scheduled to begin in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on December 15, 2010.
Warranty
The Leaf's battery warranty is for eight years or 100000 miles (160,934 km). The warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship, but does not cover gradual loss of battery capacity, nor does it cover damage or failure resulting from not following the preventive actions recommended in the Leaf Owner's Manual for the lithium-ion battery, such as exposing the car to ambient temperatures above 120 °F (48.9 °C) for over 24 hours, or storing the Leaf in temperatures below -13 F for over 7 days.
Before the Leaf's market launch, Nissan conducted an e-mail survey in July 2010 among the 16,000 individuals that made a reservation in the US and a sample of other potential customers regarding the terms of the battery pack
Battery pack
A battery pack is a set of any number of identical batteries or individual battery cells. They may be configured in a series, parallel or a mixture of both to deliver the desired voltage, capacity, or power density...
guarantee. The survey was sent two days after General Motors announced that the Chevrolet Volt
Chevrolet Volt
The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by General Motors. The Volt has been on sale in the U.S. market since mid-December 2010, and is the most fuel-efficient compact car sold in the United States, as rated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency...
's battery was guaranteed for eight years or 100000 miles (160,934 km). The multiple-choice survey had a batch of battery warranty related questions focused on the responder's preference between a five-year or 60000 miles (96,560.4 km) warranty or an eight-year or 100000 miles (160,934 km) warranty. A Nissan spokeswoman commented that the company wanted to hear from future Leaf drivers to ensure Nissan was meeting the expectations of the marketplace before making a decision on its warranty policy.
Marketing
In November 2009, Nissan launched the Zero Emission Tour, with stops in 22 North American cities. At each stop on the tour, visitors were able to view the car and learn about the benefits of zero-emission driving. The first stop of the tour was in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on November 13, 2009, a event that marked the unveiling of the LEAF in North America. Other stops on the tour included San Francisco; Seattle; Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
; Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
; Houston; Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
; and Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. The tour ended in February 2010 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
after visiting 24 cities, including two (Atlanta and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
) that were added to the original itinerary due to requests. Nissan estimates that 100,000 people saw the company’s lithium-ion battery car.
Nissan conducted a test drive
Test drive
A test drive is the driving of an automobile to assess its drivability, or roadworthiness, and general operating state. A person who tests vehicles for a living, either for an automobile company or a motorsports team, is called a test driver....
tour—dubbed the Drive Electric Tour—in several cities in the initial US launch markets. The tour began on October 1, 2010, at the AltCar Expo in Santa Monica, California, and continued in Anaheim, San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Jose. In November, the tour moved to Hillsboro, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; and San Francisco. The following month the tour continued in Tucson and Tempe, Arizona; and Austin, Texas. The cities to be visited in 2011 will be announced later, but the promotional tour is expected to end by March 2011.
As winner of the Taxi of Tomorrow competition, Nissan will sponsor a pilot program in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with six Leafs and their charging station
Charging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
s to study the use of zero-emission
Zero-emissions vehicle
A zero-emissions vehicle, or ZEV, is a vehicle that emits no tailpipe pollutants from the onboard source of power. Harmful pollutants to the health and the environment include particulates , hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, ozone, lead, and various oxides of nitrogen. Although not considered emission...
electric vehicles as taxis. The Leafs will be deployed in the second quarter of 2012, one year before the winner Nissan NV200
Nissan NV200
The Nissan NV200 is a light commercial vehicle produced by Nissan. It was first shown as the NV200 Concept at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. Though it is an alternative to the Vanette, it is only available as a van model...
taxis are introduced. The Leafs will be allocated to existing operators through a lease for a year free of charge.
Other countries
AustraliaLeaf sales in Australia are scheduled for 2012.
Brazil
In April 2010 Nissan signed an agreement with the municipal government of São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
to deploy 50 Leafs for use in the city's Traffic Engineering Agency fleet. In exchange, the municipality will conduct feasibility studies regarding the use of the electric car in the city, including the deployment of the charging infrastructure
Charging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
required, and how it will help to reduce air pollution. Deliveries are scheduled to begin during the first semester of 2011 and the demonstration project will end on December 2012. According to Nissan, a timeline for retail sales has not been set because of the high prices of electric cars in Brazil. The car maker is pursuing an exemption from the 35% import tax and the enactment of other federal government incentives to make the car affordable and competitive within the Brazilian market.
Hong Kong
In March 2011 an EV Pilot Program was launched in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
as a collaboration between the government of Hong Kong special administrative region
Special administrative region (People's Republic of China)
A special administrative region is a provincial-level administrative division of the People's Republic of China, for which creation is provided by Article 31 of the 1982 Constitution of the People's Republic of China Article 31 reads "The state may establish special administrative regions when...
and Nissan. The program began with a four-day test drive event open to the public. Nissan will deliver 200 Leafs to be used by the government, power companies and other private companies.
Mexico
In October 2009 Nissan reached an agreement with the local government of Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, by which 500 units of the Leaf will be delivered by 2011 for use of government and corporate fleets. In exchange, recharging infrastructure
Charging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
will be deployed by the city government, and an exemption from the ownership tax is being pursued. This agreement will allow Mexico to become the first Latin American market where the Leaf will be available. The Leaf will be available for the general public starting in 2012. The city government also reached an agreement with Nissan in November 2010 in order for the first 100 Leafs to be introduced in the country to operate as part of the capital's taxi fleet. The first Leafs destined for the taxi fleet were delivered by late September 2011.
Problems reported
In April 2011 Nissan announced that customers in the United States and Japan reported problems in restarting their Leaf vehicles after switching the motor off. Nissan said the problem does not pose any accident risk. On April 15 Nissan announced that the problem only affected a small proportion of Leafs. Nissan engineers identified a programming error in an air conditioning system sensor that sometimes triggers an erroneous high voltage alert when the air conditioning unit is switched on, due to the increased demand for power. The system issues an Inhibit Restart command, which does not prevent driving the vehicle, but does prevent it restarting after it is turned off. The solution requires reprogramming of the Vehicle Control Module by a Nissan dealer. Nissan announced a "service campaign" to apply the software fix to all 5,300 Nissan Leafs in operation around the world, but it was not an official recall because it was not a safety issue. The applied software update also improves the car’s on-board range calculation system, which several Leaf owners reported was overestimating the number of miles left. In addition, the update changes the state-of-charge bars display to provide a true reserve capacity; the driver now has up to five miles to find a charging spot after the car reaches the zero miles remaining mark.A number of customers have reported safety problems with the Antilock brakes: after an emergency braking event, and once the driver has released the brake pedals, the brakes remain in full force for some amount of time, increasing the risk of rear collisions.
Related concept cars
Nissan unveiled the Nissan Leaf Aero Style concept carConcept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon
Tokyo Auto Salon
The is an annual auto show held in January at the Makuhari Messe, Chiba City, Japan for Performance and custom dress-up parts and technology display. Hosted by the Nippon Auto Parts Aftermarket Committee ....
. The Leaf Aero Style exterior features a new front bumper, extended side skirts, restyled mirrors, LED daytime driving lights, and special wheels.
Nissan unveiled the Leaf NISMO RC (Racing Competition) demonstrator at the 2011 New York International Auto Show
New York International Auto Show
The New York International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in New York City in late March or early April. It is usually held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. It usually opens on or just before Easter weekend and closes on the first Sunday after Easter...
. This electric car shares the same battery pack as the Leaf but is designed and constructed as a real racing car with a full carbon fiber
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
monocoque body which makes it about 40 percent lighter than the production Leaf. The Nissan Leaf NISMO RC is projected to have a running time of around 20 minutes under racing conditions, and in preliminary testing it accelerated from 0 mile per hour in 6.85 seconds and has a top speed of 93 mph (41.6 m/s).
Reception
The Leaf was enthusiastically received by consumers. There were 20,000 pre-orders in the United States for the vehicle's debut. After hitting this milestone in September 2010, Nissan stopped taking reservations in the United States until many of the initial orders had been delivered in early 2011.In 2009, a former Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors, Inc. is a Silicon Valley-based company that designs, manufactures and sells electric cars and electric vehicle powertrain components. It was the only automaker building and selling a zero-emission sports car, the Tesla Roadster, in serial production...
marketing manager criticized Nissan about the cooling system chosen for thermal management in lithium-ion battery packs,. He also claimed there may also be an overestimation of the 100 miles (160.9 km) range that was computed using LA-4 or "city" mode, which may underestimate the energy draw during highway driving conditions.
The American magazine Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports is an American magazine published monthly by Consumers Union since 1936. It publishes reviews and comparisons of consumer products and services based on reporting and results from its in-house testing laboratory. It also publishes cleaning and general buying guides...
noted that while charger costs vary between and , an at-home charger and its installation cost more than even for simple installations. Nissan estimates a typical charger installation costs . The article did not mention that home charger installations are eligible for a 50% federal tax credit up to . Consumer Reports noted that the first 5,700 Leaf buyers will get free chargers with federal support in 13 cities. The consumer group also reminded that many older houses with only a 60–100 amp supply may need a panel upgrade to install a 240-volt circuit, which can cost several thousand dollars. The additional 220–240-volt charger is only required for countries (mainly the North / South American continent) that do not have a 220–240-volt domestic grid
Mains electricity
Mains is the general-purpose alternating current electric power supply. In the US, electric power is referred to by several names including household power, household electricity, powerline, domestic power, wall power, line power, AC power, city power, street power, and grid power...
and want faster charging than under 110–120-volt.
Currently, there is a variety of EVSE, or Charging Docks for the nissan LEAF, these include SPX, Schneider, Leviton, Aerovironment, Blink and GE; some of them are available for less than $850 and as the on-board charger in the LEAF only draws 16 Amps, many home installations can be as simple as adding a dedicated 20 Amp circuit and receptacle in the garage.
Consumer Reports also called buyers' attention to the fact that the Leaf's total out-of-pocket costs include a acquisition fee and a disposition fee. The consumer group also emphasized that the lease price of -a-month applies only to buyers with good credit (Tier 1, or a FICO score of 700 or above); for those with less than optimum credit, the monthly rate would increase. They reminded buyers that the lease comes with a 23,000 km/year (15,000-mile-per-year) allowance, but additional miles will cost extra.
The Leaf has received awards from multiple organizations. Notable awards include the inclusion by Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine as one of the 50 best inventions of 2009. At the 2010 Washington Auto Show
Washington Auto Show
The Washington Auto Show is an annual local auto show held in Washington, D.C. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center between late January and early February. The event has evolved to emphasize and showcase the latest innovations in sustainable automotive technologies...
, the Leaf was given the 2010 Green Car Vision Award
Green Car Vision Award
The Green Car Vision Award is an annual award granted by the Green Car Journal. In contrast with its Green Car of the Year award, which only considers production vehicles that make the most significant environmental advancements, the Green Car Vision Award considers pre-production vehicles with...
by the Green Car Journal
Green Car Journal
Green Car Journal is a quarterly publication created in 1992 that focuses on green vehicles and environmentally friendly energy and technologies...
(GCJ), who noted that the Leaf "will provide the features, the styling, and the driving experience that will meet the needs of a sophisticated and demanding market, while producing zero localized emissions and requiring no petroleum fuels." Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics is an American magazine first published January 11, 1902 by H. H. Windsor, and has been owned since 1958 by the Hearst Corporation...
, upon awarding the Leaf its 2010 Breakthrough Award, explained that the Nissan Leaf is "not the first pure EV, but [...] hits the mainstream like none of its predecessors." Popular Mechanics also alluded to the Leaf's 100 miles (160.9 km) range, which is said to be "enough for most commuters for the price of an average vehicle – and with a much lower operating cost than gasoline-powered vehicles."
Other awards received by the Leaf include the 2011 European Car of the Year
European Car of the Year
The European Car of the Year award was established in 1964 by a collective of automobile magazines from different countries in Europe. The current organisers of the award are Auto , Autocar , Autopista , Autovisie , L'Automobile Magazine , Stern and Vi Bilägare .The voting jury consists of motoring...
, EV.com’s 2011 EV of the Year, 2011 Eco-Friendly Car of the Year by Cars.com
Cars.com
Cars.com is a website which was launched in June 1998. It is the second largest automotive classified site, second to only Autotrader.com. It is a division of Classified Ventures, which is in turn a joint venture by major media companies including the Gannett Company, the McClatchy Company, the...
, 2011 Green Fleet Electric Vehicle of the Year, it was listed among the 2011 Greenest Vehicles of the Year by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, or ACEEE, is a nonprofit, 501 organization. Founded in 1980, ACEEE's mission is to advance energy efficiency as a fast, cheap, and effective means of meeting energy challenges...
, and also was ranked first in Kelley Blue Book
Kelley Blue Book
Kelley Blue Book, headquartered in Irvine, California, is the United States' largest automotive vehicle valuation company. The company's website is a source for new and used vehicle pricing and information...
Top 10 Green Cars for 2011. The Leaf won the 2011 World Car of the Year
World Car of the Year
The World Car of the Year is an automobile award selected by a jury of 48 international automotive journalists from 22 countries. Cars considered must be sold in at least five countries on at least two continents prior to January 1 of the year of the award...
, and was a finalist for the 2011 World Green Car. Ward's Auto
Ward's
Ward's is an organization that has covered the automotive industry for over 80 years. They are responsible for several publications including, Ward's AutoWorld, and Ward's Dealer Business.Ward's also publish the annual list of Ward's 10 Best Engines....
listed the Leaf's 80 kW electric motor in Ward's 10 Best Engines
Ward's 10 Best Engines
Ward's 10 Best Engines is an annual list of the ten "best" automobile engines available in the U.S. market, that are selected by Ward's AutoWorld magazine. The list was started in 1994, and has been drawn every year since then....
for 2011. Until October 2011 the Leaf was ranked as the most efficient EPA certified vehicle for all fuels ever.
See also
- Nissan electric vehicles
- EV Project
- Government incentives for plug-in electric vehiclesGovernment incentives for plug-in electric vehiclesGovernment incentives for plug-in electric vehicles have been established by several national and local governments around the world as a financial incentive for consumers to purchase a plug-in electric vehicle....
- List of modern production plug-in electric vehicles
- List of production battery electric vehicles
- Plug-in electric vehiclePlug-in electric vehicleA plug-in electric vehicle is any motor vehicle that can be recharged from any external source of electricity, such as wall sockets, and the electricity stored in the rechargeable battery packs drives or contributes to drive the wheels...
- Zero-emissions vehicleZero-emissions vehicleA zero-emissions vehicle, or ZEV, is a vehicle that emits no tailpipe pollutants from the onboard source of power. Harmful pollutants to the health and the environment include particulates , hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, ozone, lead, and various oxides of nitrogen. Although not considered emission...
- List of Nissan vehicles
External links
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anMAn089sC0&feature=feeduVideo on Interview with Carlos GhosnCarlos GhosnCarlos Ghosn, KBE , born 9 March 1954, is a Brazilian-Lebanese-French businessman who is currently the Chairman and CEO of Yokohama, Japan-based Nissan and holds the same positions at Paris-based Renault, which together produce more than one in 10 cars worldwide...
CEO of Renault and Nissan by Robert LlewellynRobert LlewellynRobert Llewellyn is an English actor, presenter, and writer. He is best known as the mechanoid Kryten in the hit sitcom Red Dwarf, and for his role as presenter of Scrapheap Challenge.-Early career:...
about the Leaf] - Official US Nissan LEAF website
- Nissan LEAF on line US reservations