Americans who have been waiting for an affordable, all-electric car won't have to wait much longer.
The four-door Nissan Leaf will go on sale later this year at a cost of about $20,000 after a federal tax credit and state rebate, a price low enough that auto industry analysts say it will attract consumers who have never considered driving electric vehicles before.
Interest in the Leaf is so high that Nissan will begin accepting reservations Tuesday. While it will be the first affordable all-electric car to hit the market, several other models are expected to roll out within the next two years.
Electric vehicles are powered by batteries instead of internal combustion engines. There are no tailpipe emissions, and the cost of the electricity to charge them is much cheaper than a tank of gasoline.
"By the end of the year there will be thousands of these cars in Americans' hands, and once people have them, it's game over," said Paul Scott of the advocacy group Plug In America. "The Leaf's low price means the adoption rate of this technology is going to be dramatically faster than we had ever hoped."
Some automakers rolled out limited editions of electric vehicles in the 1990s, only to scrap the models a few years later, in part because of a shortage of public charging stations.
But many feel the electric car's time has arrived. Charging stations are being built, consumer interest has grown, the technology has advanced and Nissan is putting marketing oomph behind the Leaf's rollout. The vehicle's national tour included a stop at San Jose's Santana Row in December, and slick television ads featuring the car ran throughout the Winter Olympics.
Kirsten Flynn of Palo Alto drives a 1991 Volvo station wagon and is determined to make her next car an electric one. She has three teenagers and is thrilled the Leaf seats five.
"For a long time, electric vehicles have been like vaporware," said Flynn, an interior designer. "But this is like a normal car that I can fit my family in. It's hard to believe it's actually happening."
Alex Tang, who plans to reserve a Leaf Tuesday, said he's motivated partly by guilt. "Every time I drive a gasoline-powered car I feel guilty about the environmental impact," said Tang, 38. "I want the Leaf to succeed. During the Olympics I was like 'Wow! An actual advertisement for an EV on television!' "
The Leaf is just the first of several all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles about to come on the market. Others include the Fisker Karma, the Aptera 2e, the Coda sedan, Chevy's Volt and Tesla's Model S. The only all-electric "highway-capable" vehicle available today is the $109,000 Tesla Roadster.
In the United States, more than 115,000 people have formalized their interest in driving a Nissan LEAF by signing up for more information on NissanUSA.com. These registrants will be given priority in the reservation process. Consumers must be registered on NissanUSA.com by the end of today in order to be eligible for the early reservation process. Reservations will open to the general public on May 15.
RESERVATIONS
- Priority reservation instructions will be sent to early registrants by email between 1-6 pm EDT onApril 20. The email will include an exclusive link enabling each person to start the reservation process.
- Through the link, the customer will create an account, configure his or her vehicle, and answer questions to complete a driving profile.
- Consumers will be asked to pay by credit card a $99 reservation fee, which is fully refundable.
- After placing a reservation, a customer will be able to indicate a preferred dealer.
- Consumers who reserve a Nissan LEAF will receive confirmation numbers. Nissan will provide individual updates for their reservations by June 30.
- Reservations are limited to one per household.
- Consumer inquiries about the reservation process can be answered at the Nissan LEAF call center, 1-877-664-2738.
April 20 also marks the date for the debut of a new website on NissanUSA.com to support the launch of the Nissan LEAF. The website will continue to serve as a resource about the most up-to-date information for the Nissan LEAF, including upcoming special events.
Including the $7,500 federal tax credit for which the Nissan LEAF will be fully eligible, the consumer's after-tax net value of the vehicle will be $25,280. The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price *(MSRP) for the 2011 all-electric, zero-emission Nissan LEAF is $32,780. Additionally, there is an array of state and local incentives that may further defray the costs, and increase the benefits, for owning and charging a Nissan LEAF. For example, a $5,000 statewide tax rebate is offered in California; a $5,000 tax credit in Georgia; a $1,500 tax credit in Oregon; and carpool-lane access in some states, including California. The lease price for the Nissan LEAF begins at $349 per month.
