2010 Nissan leaf electric car
With no official presence at the Detroit Auto Show, Nissan couldn’t resist showcasing its new Leaf electric car. On display alongside several other electric models in an area of the show dubbed Electric Avenue, Nissan claims that the Leaf is no concept, but an actual production model. Nissan says that through extensive research the 100 mile range will be suitable for 70 percent of car buyers
While Honda and Toyota delight greenies by selling hybrid cars like the Insight and the Prius, Nissan has been relatively quiet on the eco front. The new Nissan LEAF - the name is not an acronym but signifies purity and greenness - is a fully electric-powered car which Nissan says is the world's first affordable zero-emission vehicle. "Nissan LEAF is a tremendous accomplishment - one in which all Nissan employees can take great pride," said Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn. The batteries make over 90kW while the motor delivers 80kW (109hp) and 280Nm, figures similar to those of a compact turbo diesel motor.
Owners can use their cell phones to turn on the air conditioning system and an onboard remote controlled timer can be pre-programmed to recharge the batteries.
The Nissan LEAF will be launched in Japan, Europe and the United States in late 2010.
A 24 kWh pack of laminated lithium-ion batteries from Nissan JV AESC delivers output of more than 90kW to power a synchronous AC motor delivering 80 kW (107 hp) of power and torque of 280 Nm (207 lb-ft). - Great move by Nissan towards the electric future, though I may not agree much with their anti-hybrid philosophy being late as they are to the future-car party, well over a decade following the trail first blazed by the original models of the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. Looks-wise, it somewhat resembles a hatchback version of their own Nissan Latio model, fairly conventional looking, which is to say it looks just right for the family role. The dashboard takes a *leaf* (pun intended) from the Honda Civic Hybrid and Insight with its high-tech, Star Trek-style, two-tier instrument cluster design, topped by a digital speedometer.
