The landscape of hybrid vehicles is a familiar one to most people around
the world. With old friends like the Prius and Insight being the most
familiar, and newcomers like the Volt (which has yet to make it into the
hands of the general public) attempting to make a name for the itself,
it would seem that there is plenty of room for another entrant. That’s
exactly what Nissan is hoping for with the announcement of its latest
all-electric vehicle, the 2010 LEAF EV.
With the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, it would certainly appear
that the motor company is attempting to make a serious play for market
share in the up-and-coming segment. The company this weekend announced
its new 2010 LEAF EV that melds Nissan/Renault’s current design theme
with an electric-only vehicle.
As with most next generation electric vehicles, the LEAF uses an
advanced lithium-ion battery pack (48 modules, 90kW) and has electric
Motors that deliver 80kW (107 HP) of power. According to Nissan Motors,
it is this combo gives the LEAF a driving range of 100 miles and a top
speed of 87 mph. By Nissan’s estimates, the 100-mile driving range is
enough to satisfy the daily commute requirements of 80% of American
drivers (Nissan says that the average U.S. driver has a daily commute of
less than 62 miles).
Given that the LEAF is a fully electric vehicle and doesn’t have an
“extended range” gasoline engine/generator like the Volt, the vehicle
will rely heavily on a robust electric charging infrastructure. As a
result, Nissan will initially market the vehicle in U.S cities, which
have taken the initiative to provide charging stations for EVs including
Phoenix, San Diego, Raleigh, and Seattle.
Nissan expects to market the LEAF in the U.S., Europe, and Japan next
year. Pricing has not been announced, but Nissan describes the vehicle
as “affordable”.
