115,000 express interest in Leaf

Ready to order yours?

CNBC is reporting that Nissan is accepting orders for the Nissan Leaf, but the Nissan website states that pre-ordering begins April 20 and that deliveries will begin in December.

Regardless, CNBC reports that some 115,000 have expressed interest in the Leaf, or at least in more information regarding the new electric car.

Nissan Leaf to cost less than $26,000 after tax credit

Can it really make money?

The Nissan Leaf will cost $32,780 when it goes on sale at the end of the year. Thus, after the $7500 plug-in tax credit, the Leaf will sell for $25,280.

While the Leaf will sell for $40,000 in Japan, Nissan is lowering the cost for the US market to increase volume, yet the automaker claims it can still make money at this price.

Sounds like a pretty fair price after the tax credit, but it sure seems hard to believe Nissan can make money on this vehicle when similar EVs cost almost $50,000. Still, the key question is, what happens after the tax credit expires? At almost $33,000 Leaf sales will hit a serious wall without a big drop in price.

When will a plug-in vehicle outsell the Toyota Prius?

Will the plug-in Prius ever outsell the conventional Prius?

Why did GM kill the Cadillac Converj, a plug-in based upon the same Voltecs hybrid drive as the upcoming Chevy Volt? Wouldn't making as many range-extended EVs across as many models as possible help bring down costs quicker?

"Sure, each Cadillac Converj would not lose as much money as each Chevy Volt," reports MotorTrend's Todd Lassa. "But it still would lose money, and the best way to limit losses from new technology is to limit volume. "This Cadillac doesn't lose as much money as this Chevy" isn't a business case. Volt is designed to be a "volume" model, eventually produced in the tens of thousands, but it will be years before we see that."

Years before we see tens of thousands of Volts produced per year? The Toyota Prius is already selling in the hundreds of thousands, so the Volt seems at least a decade away from topping the Prius. Then again, the Volt? Unfortunately, we've known about GM's limited production numbers for some time, so I doubt the Volt will be the first plug-in to contend with the Prius.

Besides, the Nissan Leaf has been the real plug-in story these days........

Finish: When will a plug-in vehicle outsell the Toyota Prius?

Rent a Leaf at Hertz in 2011

Rent one before buying one

Hertz will begin renting out Nissan Leaf electric cars in 2011 in cities where enough charging infrastructure exists. The Leaf will join a number of hybrid cars that Hertz carries in its 'Green Collection'.

Nissan Leaf cheaper than expected? Order in April

No separate battery lease in America?

Beginning in April electric car fans can put down a refundable $100 deposit on a new Nissan Leaf, with deliveries starting in August. Thus far, Nissan expects to sell or lease about 20,000 Leafs based upon initial demand forecasts.

What's becoming more interesting, however, is guessing the final cost of the Leaf. For a while Nissan has claimed that pricing would be similar to that of Toyota Prius, although the battery was be leased separately, adding an extra monthly cost on top of the car.

Today, Insideline is reporting that Nissan will not lease the battery separately, at least not in the US. So, does that mean the cost of the Leaf is going up? Is Nissan going to take a more significant loss on the Leaf to get sales rolling? I guess we'll know by April.

What do 100,000 Volts, Leafs or Prius hybrids per year really mean?

No impact on foreign oil dependence for 2 decades?

For several years now, Toyota has sold more than 100,000 Prius hybrids per year in the US. In fact, Toyota has sold more than 1 million hybrid cars in the US alone.

Yet, what effect have one million hybrids had on US foreign oil dependence? None.

Soon, GM will launch the highly-anticipated Chevy Volt, yet it might be a decade before GM is selling 100,000 Volts per year. Likewise, late this year Nissan will begin US production of the Leaf electric car. When Nissan's new production facility is fully operational, it will produce up to 150,000 Leafs per year.

Yet again, what impact will these vehicles have on foreign oil dependence?

Unfortunately, according to numerous studies, ALL electric vehicle sales in the US, combined, won't have any noticeable impact on foreign oil dependence for probably another TWO decades, and even then the effect might still be marginal.

Certainly, automakers have to start electrifying the automobile somewhere, and the Prius, Volt and Leaf are all noble and important products. Nonetheless, their impact upon the environment and foreign oil dependence will remain meaningless for decades.

Is this really the best that America can do?

US Nissan Leaf production loaned into action

Coming soon

With the help of a $1.4 billion US Department of Energy loan, Nissan is on the path towards US production of the Nissan Leaf electric car, as well the assembly of the Leaf's lithium-ion battery packs.

Limited Leaf production should begin later this year, but when the plant is fully operational, Nissan will be able to produce 150,000 Leafs and 200,000 battery packs at the new Smyrna, Tennessee plant.

Pricing has not been released, but CEO Carlos Ghosn has stated that the Leaf will only cost about 1 - 2 percent more than a gasoline car.

Best Plug-ins: EVs, Range Extended EVs or Plug-in hybrids

Range extended EVs are better?

Just finished watching one of the latest Chevy Volt YouTube videos on the virtues of range extended EVs versus pure EVs, a topic that tens of billions in federal funds could soon be built around.

So, what's the best plug-in vehicle? Which plug-in vehicle is a legitimate game-changer?

Let's imagine it's 2012. Numerous plug-in vehicles are available for sale. Which one is best? A short range plug-in hybrid, such as a Toyota Prius plug-in, or a full electric vehicle, such as the Nissan Leaf? Or, how about a combination of the two, such as a Chevy Volt?

Finish: Best Plug-ins: EVs, Range Extended EVs or Plug-in hybrids

Is the Volt a Leaf over the Toyota Prius?

Leaf to get 367 mpg!?

So, which vehicle is better: the Chevy Volt, the Nissan Leaf or the Toyota Prius?

Not long after GM announced that the Volt might achieve 230 mpg in the city, Nissan announced that its Leaf electric vehicle would achieve 367 mpg in the city. So, obviously, the Leaf is the best, followed by the Volt, then the Prius, right?

If 80 percent of US drivers only drive 40 miles or less per day, then the Leaf, with its cheaper upfront costs, seems the clear winner. However, 100 miles of EV range might only mean 80 or 60 miles in the real world. Can you feel that range anxiety kicking in? What if you live in a condo or an apartment, or you have to park on the street?

Then the Volt can you take you further, for a cost, but it's a pretty big cost, or is it?

While Nissan is hoping to price the Leaf at $25,000 to $30,000, the Leaf is also reported to require a battery lease. How much will the lease cost? Even at $50 a month for 10 years, Leaf battery costs could more than pay for a lifetime's worth of fuel for the Prius, and you're still left with those nasty anxiety attacks.

Of course, the Leaf will reduce foreign oil dependency more than the Prius, thus the government will offer a big juicy tax credit. That alone could wipe out the cost of the battery lease, but again, where will you plug-in? What about that Thursday drive to the beach that is 120 miles there and back?

Well, it's back to the Volt, then, right? EV range for every day driving backed by a range-extending flex-fuel engine? Perfect, except for the fact that after a $7500 tax credit, you could still buy a Prius, pay for a lifetime's worth of fuel and still have several thousand dollars to spare.

Is the Volt a Leaf over the Prius? Not yet, but we'll review again once either Nissan or GM starts producing 100,000 of their plug-ins per year.