Just like hybrid ownership more than a decade before, there is a badge of honor being worn proudly by thousands of LEAF owners across the globe.
Wayne Gerdes -
CleanMPG - May 22, 2012
2012 Nissan LEAF - $35,200 to start and a 73-mile all-electric range makes for a fuel saver beyond reproach for those it can satisfy. From those in the vid, it does indeed satisfy greatly
Now in its second year of production, the 2012 Nissan LEAF continues to lead the drive into the “no gas” and locally zero-emission era. With its 22 + kWh Li-Ion pack, the small midsize hatch is rated by the EPA to provide a 73 mile all-electric range from a full charge.
Tor the 2012 model year, Nissan added a standard battery heater, heated steering wheel, heated front and rear seats, heated outside mirrors and rear HVAC duct on all models. Also, a Quick Charge Port is now standard on the LEAF SL.
Last week, Nissan created a vid and documented some of its forward thinking owner’s experiences regarding the 100% electric LEAF.
BEVs are beginning their third round with the first dating back more than a century when they dominated automobile travel on what few roads there were at the turn of the century. The second large arrival occurred with GM’s EV-1. Beginning with Pb-Acid’ packs and moving to a more advanced NiMH chemistry, it proved to be a great car for those that “owned” them via LEASE only. A few BEV Ranger Pus were avaible as was the RAV4EV that could actually be purchased.
Today, there are more offerings than ever before available in the form of both BEVs and PHEVs with an ever expanding marketshare presence albeit a small one at that today. Established car makers like GM, Nissan, Toyota and Ford have invested heavily because they are confident in the electric revolution future of one sort or another.
Nissan has already sold 28,000 LEAFs worldwide and this is only the beginning.
Nissan Executive Vice President Andy Palmer:
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“Let’s jump the end game. The end game is a full-electric car. It’s quiet and it’s clean. There are so many merits around it.”
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Electric Vehicle Advocate Chelsea Sexton:
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“BEVs are no longer an idea of the future. They are the cars with the most class and ‘cool.’ They’re fast and they’re fun and the new thing to have.”
“This is no longer if it will happen and maybe. It will happen. That is, it’s happening”
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There are so many drivers in San Francisco, for example, that they actually formed a club called the BayLEAFs.
BayLEAFs President Gary Lieber:
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“I’ve been in high technology all my life. I’ve worked for Apple. I’ve worked for Microsoft. I’ve worked on the space shuttle. And the next big thing has always been my passion. BEVs are the next big thing.”
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Lieber signed up to buy a LEAF two years in advance. He and his wife have driven it for a full year now, and they’ve put 14,000 miles on it.
Lieber added:
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“I got home and it was phew, this was a good idea. And I haven’t looked back since. We love the car.”
“You can’t go anywhere without seeing two or three of them, and it’s kind of like at first everybody is waving at each other. But now there’s so many of them that you sometimes forget that you have to wave to your fellow Ever.”
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There are thousands of LEAF drivers like Lieber in California -- so many that he almost stopped doing the LEAF salute.
It’s an electric community that seems here to stay.
I would say more than “
seems to” because when you are behind the windscreen of the Nissan LEAF, the sound of its silence is deafening to those not driving the same.
) I'm very happy with my purchase!
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