The battle for sales supremacy in the eco-friendly segment between Nissan’s pure electric Leaf and GM’s extended range Chevrolet Volt is really heating up lately, with the two models separated by only 17 cars in U.S. sales figures so far this year. And while GM is betting on the introduction of a slightly lower priced base model as well as the extended availability of the Volt in all 50 states to win this battle, Nissan is counting on increasing output to ease customer delays after production was disrupted by the Japan’s earthquake and tsunami on March 11.
Even though the new Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt are two very different cars when it comes to details, they do have a common denominator: they are the most technologically advanced eco-friendly vehicles that are mass-produced and readily available in the U.S. market. That said, it’s interesting to see how they’re doing in sales this year. Believe it or not, it’s a fierce neck-to-neck sales battle so far in 2011 with only 17 cars separating the Leaf from the Volt. Nissan has delivered 2,184 examples of the pure-electric Leaf from January to the end of May, while GM has sold 2,167 units of Chevrolet’s extended range electric vehicle in the same period.
Toyota’s executives must be green with envy once they hear the salaries of their counterparts in Nissan. That is because, Nissan’s top directors were paid more than twice as much for the fiscal year that ended last March than their equals at Toyota, according to a report from Bloomberg. And this despite the fact that Toyota is Japan’s biggest car manufacturer and Nissan is number two. In a statement that Nissan issued before its annual meeting on June 29, average salary, including bonuses, for 14 executives was 126 million yen, or $ 1.6 million. In comparison, Toyota paid its 38 directors and auditors an average of about 41 million yen per executive.
Electric carmakers are trying hard to promote their products, with the environmentally friendly nature of these vehicles being their most exploited feature in advertising. Nissan is going down the same path with a new campaign for the fully-electric Leaf entitled “Gas Powered Everything”, in which the company mocks the internal combustion engine by imagining a strange world where all appliances run on gas. The result is a funny commercial in which people have to put up with gas-powered alarm-clocks, microwave ovens, computers and many more appliances. Even the Chevrolet Volt becomes a subject of joke for being a gas-electric hybrid. But we can't help but wonder: isn't Nissan's approach a little hypocritical? It's not like their range includes electric cars alone...
After awarding the Mitsubishi i-MiEV with a four-star rating, Euro NCAP, which is the European equivalent of the American IIHS, crash tested its second all-electric model, the Nissan Leaf. The Japanese hatchback achieved a five-star rating, becoming the first electric vehicle to do so.
Lately, it seems that pushing an out-of-juice electric car is quickly becoming a trademark of Britain’s popular Top Gear TV series. After the Tesla Motors row, it seems another EV will be featured in the show while being pushed. This time it's the Nissan Leaf, whose batteries ran dry while being driven by Jeremy Clarkson. Fortunately, one of the many witnesses of the event caught Clarkson and James May trying to find an outlet to plug for the Leaf on camera. The two TV hosts were filming a test drive with the Nissan Leaf and the Peugeot iOn for the next episode of the show. After looking for outlets in the park, the crew eventually plugged the Leaf in at the UK's University of Lincoln.
Nissan Leaf will employ an advanced IT system. Connected to a global data center, the system provides support, information, and entertainment for drivers 24 hours a day. The dash-mounted monitor displays the Leaf's remaining power, in addition to showing a selection of nearby charging stations. The display will also indicate how many of the charging points are available as well as if they are the standard 220v or the high-speed 440v type.
Users' mobile phones can be used to turn on air-conditioning, the heater and re-set charging functions even when the vehicle is powered down. This can be used to pre-heat or pre-cool the car prior to use. The advantage of doing this while still connected is so it does not discharge the battery and sets the climate before use. An on-board remote-controlled timer can also be pre-programmed to recharge batteries at a set time eg. during off-peak rates. The car has a small solar panel at the rear of the roof that can trickle charge the battery.
The battery can be charged from 480 Volt, 220 Volt and 110 Volt sources. The Leaf has a standard SAE J1772-2009 connector for 220/110V AC recharging. and appears to use the TEPCO connector for high-voltage 480V DC. 2011 Nissan Leaf Lease Pricing Nissan Leaf Interior The car 2011 Nissan LEAF: New 2011 Nissan Leaf Picture The 2011 Nissan Leaf -Nissan-Leaf-Electric-Vehicle 2011 Nissan Leaf 2011-Nissan-Leaf 2011-Nissan-Leaf_pricing_lead 2011 Nissan Leaf With 480 Volts, it can be charged to 80% capacity in about 30 minutes with a special quick charger that sends 480 volt 125 amp DC to the battery.With 220 Volt, it can be charged in 8 hours, and in North America and Japan using standard household 110 Volt outlets it can be charged in 16 hours.
Unveiled today at Nissan's Japanese headquarters in Yokohama, the zero-emissions Nissan Leaf is a dedicated, mass production electric-vehicle that is slated for launch in late 2010 in Japan, the United States, and Europe. "Nissan LEAF is a tremendous accomplishment - one in which all Nissan employees can take great pride," said Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn. "We have been working tirelessly to make this day a reality - the unveiling of a real-world car that has zero - not simply reduced - emissions. It's the first step in what is sure to be an exciting journey - for people all over the world, for Nissan and for the industry."
What gives the LEAF its credentials is a set of laminated lithium-ion batteries and an electric motor. Unlike hybrids like the Chevrolet Volt, no fossil fuel engine of any type of size is to be found in it. The batteries make over 90kW while the motor delivers 80kW (109hp) and 280Nm, figures similar to those of a compact turbo diesel motor.
However the LEAF, being all-electric, does not emit harmful gases and therefore was not designed to have a tailpipe. Its brake regenerative system helps it recoup wasted energy to help give it a range of roughly 160km between charges. The batteries can be recharged up to 80% of their capacity using a quick charge or 8 hours using a standard home socket. Nothing has been said about recharging during power outages though.
As far as design is concerned it features LED lights, a modern cabin with blue instrumentation, and an IT support system. Owners can use their cell phones to turn on the air conditioning system and an onboard remote controlled timer can be pre-programmed to recharge the batteries.
The Nissan LEAF will be launched in Japan, Europe and the United States in late 2010. We should see it plenty of times before then as it does the rounds at international motor shows.
