Nissan has so far registered over 11,000 ‘hand raisers’ in Europe interested in the Leaf all-electric car.
Nissan International today opened order books in Portugal and Ireland while UK pre-ordering starts on 1 September. Deliveries begin in Portugal in January, Ireland in February and here in the UK in March.
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Nissan GB media relations chief Gabi Whitfield said potential buyers would make an initital, fully refundable GBP200 deposit (EUR300 in Europe) to secure a place in the cure and, after the arrival of sample cars in November or December, would be offered a test drive and the opportunity to commit to an order or decline and get the deposit back.
Whitfield stressed that the initial Leaf dealers – 40 of the 180 UK-wide, will be instructed to carefully pre-qualify potential buyers of the EV.
“It’ll primarily be a second vehicle; it’s not for the motorway mile muncher,” she said.
“All eyes will be on us” as Nissan becomes the “pioneer” launching what will be the first real volume EV into the biggest segment in Europe – C segment family hatchbacks.
With global markets clamouring for the cars from the sole initial production source – Nissan’s main Oppama factory in Japan – and supply restrained by battery pack availability, Whitfield said the automaker believes initial Leaf demand will outstrip supply. The UK unit reckons it’ll sell in “the low thousands” in the first full year, at least something over a thousand.
So who’ll buy? Nissan International’s regional product manager Thomas Ebeling said he expects a real mix – ‘early adopters’ (people who just have to have the latest technology first), those who like the idea of driving ’emissions-free’ vehicles and those attracted by the low running costs.
US and Japan pre-orders have exceeded 23,000 units since online reservations began in April.
Launch Leafs, after government incentives will cost EUR30,250 in Portugal, EUR29,995 in Ireland and EUR23,990 in the UK including the battery and its maker is estimated running costs at EUR1.05/100km (62 miles) in Portugal, under EUR1.20 in Ireland and under GBP1.59 in the UK.
The price includes climate control air conditioning, satellite navigation (specially enhanced for EV use with additional range and recharge station data) and a parking camera. Smart phone connectivity allows a driver to heat or cool the interior remotely.
Whitfield noted that Nissan GB had had a lot of interest from Britain’s south coast (which is home to many retirement communities such as Bournemouth and Eastbourne) and suggested many initial owners would have a garage with recharging power point and do almost all, if not all, their recharging at home.
A full charge delivers a potential range of 160km (100 miles) which Nissan is confident will satisfy the daily driving demands of most customers.
“Global research indicates that the average daily mileage for 80% of the world’s population is under 100km: the figure in Japan and the UK is under 50km (30 miles) for 80% of the population.”
While a straw poll of a few members of the general public suggests ‘range anxiety’ will put some off the first EVs, you won’t necessarily need eight hours to put some volts back in your Nissan. While a standard domestic socket – it’ll need to be wired in on a separate circuit like an electric cooker – a fast charger of the type every Leaf dealer must install can restore a depleted battery to 80% charged in 20-30 minutes.
Right now, such chargers are few and far between, though the satnav shows a healthy cluster in London, but the capital’s bicycle-riding mayor Boris Johnston has committed to 25,000 points by 2015 and development agency One North East (the region home to Nissan’s UK plant and future Leaf and battery production source) is currently looking for places to install 12 quick chargers as part of a wider plan to install 1,300 charging points by 2013.
Other municipalities are coming on board and Nissan expects that fast charging will, within a few years, be widely available in station, supermarket and airport car parks, anywhere, really, where a canny operator can envisage another revenue stream.
As for the Leaf itself, if a left hand drive prototype said to be 95% representative of production cars was any guide, it’s good.
Anyone who’s already driven a Toyota hybrid will already be familiar with a switch-like gear selector, start-stop button and a car whose instrument panel says its ready for instructions without the accompanying sound of an idling internal combustion engine.
You push the button and the instrument panel self-tests, displays a battery pack temperature and remaining-range ‘dials’, a digital speedometer illuminates and a green light says ‘ready’. You press the accelerator pedal and go, just like in any hybrid or automatic; the seamless power delivery is much like that of a CVT transmission, without the engine revs.
All you hear from the powertrain is a distant whine, not unlike that with some turbocharged combustion engines.
Nissan’s technician and test drive minder said production cars would have lower wind and road noise due to tighter panel gaps and a bit more work smoothing airflow round the door mirrors but the cabin was still quiet enough at urban speeds to hear the faint whoosh of air from the climate system vents.
Ride, steering and handling seemed up to C-segment par and the brakes were smooth and progressive with the switch to regenerative braking, when you lifted off the accelerator, seamless and unobtrusive.
Using the gear selector you can switch to ‘economy’ mode which increases go pedal travel and reduces the swiftness of standing start acceleration (EVs excel here as electric motors deliver full torque from the off); this mode also increases the regenerative braking so the car slows noticeably faster.
The available range display constantly updates; a light foot is rewarded with a rising, rather than falling display and the Leaf, like hybrid Hondas, also provides positive feedback in the form of little green tree symbols in the instrument display that increase in size and number the more economically you drive.
This is a proper C-series hatchback, not some modified golf cart. The interior has plenty of room for four adults and is fully trimmed and equipped and comes with the expected complement of front side and curtain airbags. Boot space is acceptable. Under bonnet, the electric motor layout looks much like that of a petrol-electric hybrid with the high voltage cables in orange. Standard and fast-charge sockets live under a flap in the nose.
For many, the combustion engine car will remain the transport of necessity and choice but the availability of the first EVs like this heralds an intriguing alternative for those who can drive within the available range and can recharge at home. It’s a promising start.
