Tokyo green news: Nissan Leaf
Nissan sees electric vehicles as the route to a zero emissions future and the Leaf is the first step. A bold one too, with Nissan promising this battery electric hatchback will be on sale within the next two years.
What's all the fuss about?
The Leaf is the world's first regular production electric car. Forget Teslas and the like, the Leaf will be rolling out of factories around the world soon to offer normally-paid people the chance to drive emissions-free. There's no petrol or diesel engine, simply an electric motor, a battery and a socket to connect it into the mains. Charge it up fully and you'll be able to drive it around 160km (99 miles) before you'll be looking for a plug. Nissan reckons the Leaf will be just as cheap to own and run as a conventional car, too.
What makes it so green?
In a word the battery. The Leaf isn't a hybrid, nor does it carry a range-extending engine - it's solely battery-powered. Plug it into a green source of power and you really can drive emissions-free. Charging is simple enough, an eight-hour charge filling it up. Quick charges should be able to get 80% range within 30 minutes. Nissan envisages - and is working on - a future where spent Leaf batteries are used to store unused electricity from the national grid, ensuring the batteries are put to good use after they're no longer useful in the car - around ten years.
When can I buy one?
Leaf officially goes on sale in 2010 for Japan and the USA. Europe is expected to get it in 2011, but with the demand likely to be insatiable in its entry markets don't be surprised if that gets pushed back a bit. It'll take a bit of getting used to the concept, as it'll initially look more expensive than the cars of similar size, but with
