Nissan has broken ground on its new electric vehicle plant, bringing the auto industry one step closer to offering an affordable, compelling electric vehicle. A new report on Edmunds’ GreenCarAdvisor.com captures current sentiments on the issue.
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.”
This early review has shoppers and enthusiasts buzzing on Edmunds.com. 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.
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.
“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,” reports Edmunds.com’s Customer Support Manager Mark Holthoff.
“The Volt seems to cost about $10K (or 30 percent) more than the Leaf,” says 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.”
