Nissan’s burgeoning EV juggernaut picked up steam last week with the
announced 2010 release of the LEAF EV. The Nissan LEAF EV is a
four-door hatchback with five seats and standard features to compete with the
automaker’s gas-powered cars. Nissan announced that the LEAF EV would be
distributed through American, European and Japanese dealers by winter 2010.
The LEAF EV features
a 24kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted under the floor and an AC electric motor capable of producing
107 horsepower. The battery pack can be recharged to 80% capacity in a
half-hour using Nissan’s quick-charging device. The average driver can simply
plug the LEAF EV into a 220-volt household outlet and wake up to a fully charged
battery eight hours later. The LEAF EV is expected to achieve a maximum speed
of 90 miles per hour. Nissan projects that the LEAF EV will be capable of
traveling 100 miles on a single charge.
Nissan is breaking out its entire hybrid technology arsenal
to make the LEAF EV attractive to eco-conscious drivers. The Nissan EV-IT
system discussed in a post last week will give drivers access to charging
station locations and range maps from a digital display. The vehicle’s headlight
bays are designed to shift wind flow for the least wind resistance possible. Nissan
plans on installing LED lights in the LEAF EV to cut down on wasted
electricity.
The LEAF EV will be produced in Nissan facilities in Oppama,
Japan and Smyrna, Tennessee in summer 2010. Nissan will use its battery
production facility in Zama, Japan to create the lithium-ion packs needed for
the LEAF and its successors. The success of the LEAF EV could lead to additional
production runs in British, Spanish and American facilities in 2011 and
beyond.
Nissan’s first major foray into electric vehicles will
answer nagging questions offered by EV critics and skeptics. The LEAF EV does
not yet have a price tag but Nissan will need to keep its prices reasonable to
attract the average consumer. Nissan must also answer questions about battery
longevity with battery pack leases, warranties and other protections for
consumers. Nissan’s push from concept to production means that the automaker
must sort out important details to keep the LEAF EV ahead of the competition.
