Nissan Leaf - New Car Review

[RG]

So there I was sitting at work quietly today when my boss comes in and says “come down and have a look at this loan car”. Knowing that earlier in the day we had an electric vehicle charge point installed in our loading dock I had a fair idea of what was going on.

We get down to the loading dock and find a nice blue Nissan Leaf “Zero Emissions” (I think they forgot that making the car and recharging it does actually emit emissions!) sitting there waiting to be pored over.

Pics for posterity




So being a bit of a car nut I was instantly all over it, I had seen it and had a bit of a look whilst it was on show at the Melbourne International Motor Show but hey, how much of a look can you really have there with thousands of other people swarming around?

First Impressions
Looking at it, it looks just as you’d expect any normal mid-sized hatch to look, small, inoffensive and almost kind of cute in an ugly duckling way. Unlock it using its proximity key fob and step inside and it’s big, much bigger than what I expected. I’d have to say it would be on par with a Corolla/Focus in terms of interior space. Sitting in the pilot’s seat you are surrounded by what I can only describe as a rather futuristic dash and centre console. An instrument cluster telling you all the vitals, with the obvious exception of a fuel gauge. Stereo/centre display is very functional and actually one of the better efforts I’ve seen in recent times and looks like something you’d expect from Pioneer, Clarion et al. Air-con controls were a bit of a letdown and l have a suspicion that they have been lifted from another model.

Pics!




The gear selector and handbrake are a totally different story however. Handbrake is exactly where you’d expect it, back of the centre console, but is not a lever but rather a switch. It actually looks like an enlarged version of a power window switch! Push down on it lightly to release and lift to engage, simple! The gear shift looked intriguing, like a joystick with a button marked “P” on top in the centre of the console with a diagram behind it showing what gear is where.

Push the button, slide the joystick towards you and then forward and you’ve got reverse. Button in, joystick towards you and then towards the back of the car and you have drive.

Then came the question I wasn’t at all expecting, my boss turned to me and said “want a drive?” I quickly responded in the affirmative (what I actually said won’t get past the swear filter) and got myself ready.

The Drive

Foot on the brake, starter button just above my left knee pushed a few beeps and the dash lights and instrument cluster had come on. I took this to mean that we were a go and proceeded to slip it into reverse. No clunk or anything like that to let you know you are in gear, just a light saying that it is so. Back up a bit and realise that this thing seems to be smooth, really smooth. There is a beep beep beep emitted to warn any targe…..I mean pedestirans you were lining u….I mean watching out for using the full colour High Def rear view camera. Stop, figure out that I’ve selected drive and move forward, still really smooth on take off. Pull out of the dock onto the street and all of a sudden I realise that I’m moving forward but not making any noise, this is quite disconcerting! It is silent, completely silent. Pull up at the lights, brakes feel great. I’m almost starting to reconsider my original standpoint of “this is a joke car right?”. There were 4 of us in the car so I give it a little right hoof expecting that I’ll need to get up it just to make it move. I mean, 4 blokes in an electric car?!?!? To my surprise we moved, and we moved fast. Like wow that’s the speed limit fast I better slow down we’re in the CBD here fast. We all look at each other with a WTF look on our faces and then crack up laughing. This thing has torque, more torque that any of us thought. Not surprising, whilst Nissan quotes power at 80kw torque is rated at 280nm! And that’s all available from near on idle.

Drove a few kay and was instantly impressed with the drive. This car is no joke and will sell. It’s quiet, comfortable, perky and well equipped. The only downside I can see is the fact that you only get 170+- kay per charge (Nissan say this, I’d expect 100-120 realistically), not an issue though if you have a charge station where you park. Whilst this is not a reality now, it WILL be very shortly as there are a number of public car parks installing charge points and the Leaf has built into its GPS a list of all available charge stations.

This car is good, if you needed a car to do short distances (station runs/school runs) I would actually consider it. I know right, me of all people on the side of an electric car.

Charging is easy too using the supplied cable and using a different socket it’ll be able to be plugged into the wall at home. Car parks will have rapid recharge points (like ours) to give you a “splash and dash” should you need it. To charge it’s as simple as plugging one end into the car and the other into the wall socket/charge station.



Oh and in case you are wondering, it does have an engine lol





Apologies in advance for the quality of the pics, I only had my iPhone so that had to do. I am tempted to take my camera in however. If anyone is after any specific shots let me know and I'll see what I can do.

[XRGhia]

Geez they look good!!... And very torquey too...


Should sell well for sure..

[Peuty]

What happened to the man I used to know with the stroker V8?

Nifty little car, trading the Peugeot?

[RG]

Originally Posted by Peuty

What happened to the man I used to know with the stroker V8?

Nifty little car, trading the Peugeot?

Lol, no trade of the Pug for that.

Next car will be a '10 Mazda3 MPS.

[nstg8a]

the future is here...

id go ev in a flash, if they had decent looking ones. i only travel 50km max a day, so its easy to charge it up every couple of nights.

wonder what a set of batteries is worth though?and how do they work out rego costs?


once these start getting out in the public more i think they will take off like wildfire, which will help bring prices down.

no idea what the leaf retails for but im guessing somewhere round 50k? a lot of coin for whats basically a povo small car with a set of energisers making it work. once the prices become more reasonable they will be very popular.

[Dave3911]

Interesting Vic Rego.....

[Kryton]

Originally Posted by Dave3911

Interesting Vic Rego.....

My thoughts too.

[Mechan1k]

Looks like specialised EV rego there.
Wonder if it is cheaper than normal rego.

EVs can be surprisingly quick ... just look at RC vehicles. Electric torque is instant.

I see the merit if commuting distances are short ... definitely worth it.
Would be and interesting drive.

Would be good to see cluster and centre stack all lit up and working.
Looking forward to some more pics of you can definitely get some.

[TheInterceptor]

Lets see how eco friendly it is when its batteries dont hold charge (in time). Straight to landfill. Not worth sending overseas then trucked about to wherever it needs to go to recycle. Just not worth the energy and fuel it takes to go recycle it.

Could imagine how many arms and legs new batteries cost.

Hate the interior.
Hate the front end.

Love the instant torque.

[Polyal]

Unless its being charged off solar reserves then the claim of zero emissions is obviously quite false, most green nazi's forget that point.

Nice RG, there is no doubt unfortunately these things are part of a greater solution. Certainly not the be all and end all though.

They should almost get free rego if located within the CBD if they were serious about cutting emissions.

[Ben73]

So is the charging cable locked into the car? Or can anyone come and rip it out as they like?
How many $$ would it cost to recharge the battery?

[Franco Cozzo]

Last time I was at TAFE we where behind one of these on Spencer Street in Melbourne, doesn't look to shabby. I'm sold on the torque of turbo diesel, the only thing I dont like is the range, i do a 110km journey to and from work so I can't be playing guessing games on if I make it to work/home.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Ben73

So is the charging cable locked into the car? Or can anyone come and rip it out as they like?
How many $$ would it cost to recharge the battery?

That would depend on what you are paying for electricity and how long it takes to charge.

[RG]

Originally Posted by Ben73

So is the charging cable locked into the car? Or can anyone come and rip it out as they like?
How many $$ would it cost to recharge the battery?

Not locked. Would cost bugger all to recharge.

Originally Posted by Polyal

Unless its being charged off solar reserves then the claim of zero emissions is obviously quite false, most green nazi's forget that point.

Nice RG, there is no doubt unfortunately these things are part of a greater solution. Certainly not the be all and end all though.

They should almost get free rego if located within the CBD if they were serious about cutting emissions.

There's some deal where carbon credits are purchased when the car is sold to offset the emissions from the electricity generated to charge it.

Free/discount rego would entice a fair few I'd reckon.

[b2tf]

Glimpse into the future there I reckon.

Geez it's weird reading these comments coming from you Russ.

[RG]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Glimpse into the future there I reckon.

Geez it's weird reading these comments coming from you Russ.

I know. I feel dirty

I am still dead against hydrogen technology however.

[Ford PR]

Hi, Ford is also developing this type of technology. Its currently a prototype. For those of you who are interested I've attached a link which will take you to a video demonstrating how this new technology works.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/24/f...-heart-so-you/

[damo76]

These type of cars bug me, how can it be more economical to own one when producing the electricity for them will create lots more co2 than running on petrol.
A petrol car of that size uses 5litres of fuel per hundred kms and this electric contraption gets 180max out of one charge, how long does it take to charge?
how practical is that.
I dont know what this worlds coming to.
Junk

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by damo76

These type of cars bug me, how can it be more economical to own one when producing the electricity for them will create lots more co2 than running on petrol.
A petrol car of that size uses 5litres of fuel per hundred kms and this electric contraption gets 180max out of one charge, how long does it take to charge?
how practical is that.
I dont know what this worlds coming to.
Junk

Battery technology will only get better, 180km is just the start. They're limited by current technology unfortunately.

Produce electricity by nuclear, solar, wind, geothermal, tidal, hydro, insert clean energy source here.

[RG]

Originally Posted by damo76

These type of cars bug me, how can it be more economical to own one when producing the electricity for them will create lots more co2 than running on petrol.
A petrol car of that size uses 5litres of fuel per hundred kms and this electric contraption gets 180max out of one charge, how long does it take to charge?
how practical is that.
I dont know what this worlds coming to.
Junk

Perhaps you should research before you post.

[Pis-ton broke]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Unless its being charged off solar reserves then the claim of zero emissions is obviously quite false, most green nazi's forget that point.

.

If my solar system produces an excess of power, well then it could be used to charge an electric car. Yes i know not everyone has solar power.

I agree that this zore emission cars should get special treatment, maybe very cheap rego?

I would buy an electric car (a, b car) in a heart beat if the price was cheaper.

I,ve veiwed this car on the nissan site, and i reckon its a beaut.

check out the electric cars vs Hi-po V8,s at the drags on youtube, they kickass, very torquie.


mick

[Resurrection]

I will get the opportunity to drive the Nissan Leaf next week. It will be interesting to see how it performs. Having tested the Mitsubishi i-MiEV earlier this year I am keen to see what is the real world range of the Nissan EV. Mitsubishi claimed up to 160km per charge for their EV but I could get above 120km on two occassions.

[RG]

Nissan expects 110-120 from the leaf here.

[ebxr8240]

An FJ transplant would be nice ... Lol...

[XR6Runner]

Some people here have to remember that making the battery does cost a lot of energy and does produce a lot of 'harmful' CO2, but don't forget how much it takes to go from oil, to useable petrol for our cars. The whole argument that making the battery and putting it into a vehicle out weighs it's on road efficiency, in my opinion, is not very accurate.

I'm still quite neutral about the whole electric car thing, I just thought I'd contribute my 2c

[Rodge]

Wife has expressed interest in this car. In N.Z. 80% of all electricity is hrdro, (100%) at low load off peak times, night rate charging.

Could be interested depending on price and if I can convince her to let me use it sometimes to subsidise my fuel guzzler.

[RG]

Originally Posted by XR6Runner

Some people here have to remember that making the battery does cost a lot of energy and does produce a lot of 'harmful' CO2, but don't forget how much it takes to go from oil, to useable petrol for our cars. The whole argument that making the battery and putting it into a vehicle out weighs it's on road efficiency, in my opinion, is not very accurate.

I'm still quite neutral about the whole electric car thing, I just thought I'd contribute my 2c

Who are the "some people"? I can't actually see who you are talking about.

For mine the most enviro friendly car is either a Golf diesel or one that's already on the road as there is no energy to produce new parts.

As far as electric cars go though, this is good.

[XR6Runner]

Originally Posted by RG

Who are the "some people"? I can't actually see who you are talking about.

damo76 is one person, read through the thread to find more