Are you more than ready to stop buying gasoline? In December 2010, the Nissan Leaf will be available in select markets in the United States. The popularity of hybrids, deisel powered cars and other alternatives to gasoline has increased in recent years. Is it finally time for a cost effective all electric car?
There are a lot of reasons to go electric. Imagine never having to pull into the gas station again. Most hybrid and electric cars, including the Volt, do use gasoline when the car runs out of electric power. The Leaf doesn't. It's a strictly electric powered car. You'll never pull up to the pump again. You could be blissfully unaware of the current sky high gas prices. The downside of an all electric car has been one of the main impediments to widespread acceptance of these vehicles. When the battery runs out of juice, you can?t switch over to gas. This limits the range that electric cars can travel, which has inhibited their practicality. Nissan has solved most of the problem ? not perfectly for all situations, but certainly well enough for most consumers. The Leaf can go 100 miles on a charge. That?s more than enough for most people. The vast majority of drivers travel far less than 100 miles in a day. Most Leaf owners can drive as much as they need to during the day, and then plug it in overnight at home. But electricity is expensive too. How does it compare to paying for gas? Charging the Leaf would cost about $2.80 at average electricity rates. That?s right ? that's less expensive than a gallon of gasoline.
The Nissan Leaf does not produce any emissions. None. That?s wonderful news to anyone who believes it?s ridiculous to poison the air we breathe to the point where we have a smog alert system. The Air Quality Management District issue smog alerts, advising the public that the air is unhealthy to breathe and advising them to limit outdoor exercise. Recesses and sports practices are cancelled and kids spend time inside instead. All because we can't seem to break our reliance on gasoline powered engines. What if driving your car didn't pollute the air at all? Imagine now that zero emissions cars are the norm and gasoline is only something from the history books. The Nissan Leaf won't even end up in a landfill at the end of its life. It's made of almost all recyclable materials.
Long drives have posed a challenge that until now has been insurmountable by many drivers. If you were driving from one state to another, you would need to charge your battery along the way. The Leaf's battery can be charged up to 80% capacity in about half an hour at a quick charge station. That's sufficient to make long trips practical. Drivers could stop for lunch and charge the car at the same time. It even makes sense for restaurants that cater to long-distance travelers to install quick charge stations ? if there are enough Nissan Leafs on the road.
Long drives have posed a challenge that until now has been insurmountable by many drivers. If you were driving from one state to another, you would need to charge your battery along the way. The Leaf's navigation system can show you the locations of charging stations on your route. The Leaf's battery can be charged up to 80% capacity in about half an hour at a quick charge station. That?s practical for long trips. Drivers could stop for lunch and charge the car at the same time. It even makes sense for restaurants that cater to long-distance travelers to install quick charge stations ? if there are enough Nissan Leafs on the road.
There are still challenges to alternative fuel vehicles, but I think Nissan has solved enough of them to make the Leaf a practical car for most drivers.
Written by Hannah Valez Nissan Riverside Nissan Dealers Orange County
categories: cars,automotive,nissan,electric cars,leaf,honda,CR-V,toyota
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