Consumers Charged Up for Electric Nissan Leaf, Edmunds' GreenCarAdvisor.com Says
By Michelle Krebs May 26, 2010Nissan held a groundbreaking ceremony for its Tennesee plant that will produce the batteries 
for the upcoming Nissan Leaf, bringing the auto industry one step closer to offering an affordable, compelling electric vehicle.
Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said interest in its all-electric Nissan Leaf is strong. "We think the Leaf is going to be a big hit," Ghosn said Tuesday after speaking to the Detroit Economic Club at Cobo Center.
Meantime, the Nissan Leaf is generating tremendous buzz on Edmunds.com forums, as reported Wednesday by Edmunds' GreenCar Advisor.com.
So-called "range anxiety" appears to be the biggest worry for would-be EV drivers, but Leaf proponents point out that the driving habits of the vast majority of people place them comfortably within the Leaf's estimated 100-mile range.
Some wonder if Nissan has a potential game changer on its hands. Others are concerned sales may be hampered by the car's limited range - not to mention competition from that other upcoming eco-darling, the plug-in hybrid 2011 Chevrolet Volt.
"Given that the Volt solves the range issue with its internal-combustion engine that provides juice if the batteries are depleted, you might think most consumers would prefer it to the Leaf. Not so, from what we can tell," reported Edmunds.com's Customer Support Manager Mark Holthoff.
"The Volt seems to cost about $10K (or 30 percent) more than the Leaf," said a consumer, concluding, "If I were buying one of these two, I'd go for the Leaf, hands down."
Others point out the Leaf "is vastly more simple," meaning "no oil changes, no oil/gas/air filters, and many fewer moving parts than on a gas-powered vehicle."
Even Volt enthusiasts are quick to offer "kudos to Nissan for focusing their first electric car on everyday folks in terms of pricing and usability."
Meantime, Edmunds' Inside Line recently spent some time behind the wheel of a near-production prototype of the all-electric 2011 Nissan Leaf and reports that it is not only unexpectedly spacious, smooth and refined, but also "implausibly good fun to drive."
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