Nissan LEAF 2016 News

Flares have never gone out of fashion in Japan and the annual Tokyo Auto Salon shows why.

The electric dream is fast turning into a nightmare - Australian sales of electric vehicles have dwindled to a trickle.

Nissan has unveiled a sportier version of the LEAF electric vehicle that may appeal to more people at the Tokyo motor show. Called the Nissan LEAF Aero Style it has the same all-electric powertrain but gains some visual enhancements that Nissan says give it a special feel and enhanced attractiveness. The car features a new look front bumper with built-in LED daytime running lights, side sill protectors and a rear air diffuser. It also adds new look 17-inch aluminium-alloy wheels with a special blue accent to give the car a unique feel. Nissan's executive vice president Takao Katagiri said the car's popularity had been extraordinary since its launch, with global sales already topping 83,000 units. "We hope you look forward to the introduction of the Nissan LEAF Aero Style that will retain all the important virtues of the cutting-edge LEAF, but adds a high level of excitement that will surely satisfy all of our customers," he said. The Tokyo show car was finished in a dark metal grey colour, designed to accentuate its stylishness. Nissan says LEAF Aero Style will appeal to customers who want to add an individual touch to their car. The car is set for release in Japan this month but there's no word if and when we can expect to see it (maybe when they've cleared the backlog of LEAFs sitting in showrooms around the country). While the Leaf has been popular in other markets, it has failed to excite buyers here. So far Nissan has sold 161 electric LEAFs this year. _______________________________________  

But anyone who bought one has just had thousands of dollars wiped from the value of their vehicle.  Japanese car maker Nissan has slashed the price of its slow-selling Leaf to $39,990 drive-away, less than 12 months after it went on sale in Australia. The new RRP equates to $36,000 before on-road costs are added, which makes the Nissan Leaf at least $15,000 cheaper than the $51,500 price it was introduced at locally in July 2012.Nissan Australia then dropped the price of the Leaf to $46,990 in December last year, but that too failed to spark sales.In a last ditch effort to get Australians to buy a car that runs purely on electricity and has a maximum driving range of 160km, Nissan has gutted the price to within $3000 of a Toyota Prius petrol-electric hybrid (which starts at $33,990 but stretches beyond $40,000 on some models)."We want to sell more," said Nissan Australia spokesman Peter Fadeyev. "We want to stimulate the market."However the 116 pioneer buyers who paid full price and have already taken delivery of a Nissan Leaf may not be so happy about the price cut because it will immediately affect their car's already weak resale value."Early adopter" customers will not be reimbursed the price difference, Nissan says. When asked if those Leaf customers brave enough to take an early punt could look forward to a cheque in the mail, the Nissan spokesman said: "No. New car prices change. We reserve that right like all car makers."Electric cars were hailed as the saviour of the automobile with their reinvention in the modern era five years ago, with some companies claiming up to 10 per cent of all new cars sold by 2020 would run on electric power.But the limited driving range and high cost of the battery technology -- which has pushed up the price of electric cars -- have blunted their appeal in Australia and overseas. And the most informed forecasts are now at less than 2 per cent by 2020.The car industry now says electric cars with "range extending" petrol engines are the next phase of hybrid cars and will find broader appeal.Vehicles like the Holden Volt can be driven a distance of up to 88km on electric power alone before a petrol motor takes over, to give an overall driving range of about 400km. But for all its tech savvy, the Volt's local appeal is limited somewhat by its $60,000 price.Mitsubishi and others have adopted a similar plug-in hybrid philosophy with their new generation hybrid cars.Toyota, the world's biggest seller of hybrid vehicles, also has plans to introduce a plug-in version of its Prius that can travel 20km on a single charge before switching to petrol power.  Today's Prius can drive about 1km on battery power alone. The plug-in Prius has been sold in limited numbers locally and overseas but should reach the mainstream when the new model arrives in three years.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

In a solid sign that Australia is turning its back on emission-free electric cars, Nissan has slashed $17,000 off the price of its Leaf hatch. It chops the hi-tech, all-electric car's price to $29,818 plus GST for government and no-for-profit organisations, and $31,818 for fleet buyers. Private buyers will pay $39,990 drive away or $85 a week making it the cheapest volume electric car on the market following the withdrawal from the market in January of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. It is the second price reduction for Nissan's Leaf since December when the price dropped $10,000 to $46,990. Carsguide finds the price reduction of the car - up to yesterday a $46,990 drive away vehicle - is caused by Nissan trying to push the electric car message but also by the disinterest of motorists in electric vehicles. Nissan has sold only 36 Leafs this year and Australian sales of all-electric vehicles to private buyers totals only 16 to the end of March. This compares with about 3300 sales of the Nissan Pulsar and 124 for the Toyota Prius hybrid. Australia now has three all-electric cars available - the Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, and Holden Volt, though the latter technically has a supporting petrol engine. The Volt, which costs $60,000, has sold 24 units this year, and the customer order-only $48,800 i-MiEV just three examples.

But Nissan wants you to open your wallet this wide for the privilege of  appearing "green'' and driving the new electric-only Leaf.There are a few issues you need to keep in mind with such vehicles. First is the fact that unless you have solar generation on your house, you are just shifting the production of carbon dioxide from the exhaust pipe to the power station smoke stack.Second, there's this thing called range anxiety that will niggle in the back of your mind when you have such an arbitrary driving limit because if you forget and go too far, you will need to be towed home.When you get there, you can't simply pour in some petrol or diesel and get going straight away, you will need to put in a second battery pack if you have access to one or put the car on "fast charge'' to get any sort of useable range.You will end up driving with one eye on the battery charge meter - distracting your attention like a mobile phone.However, if you live inner-city and only travel a few kilometres a day (which realistically should be on public transport) the five door Leaf might have some appeal.Leaf is the first mass-produced, purpose built electric car on the Australian market and Nissan plans to introduce more _ dependent on Leaf success or otherwise. It is available now from 13 Leaf accredited Nissan dealerships across Australia.Drive is to the front wheels with batteries housed in the floor for optimum vehicle packaging and weight distribution. It scores a five star crash rating under the Euro NCAP system and has seating for five adults and a good-sized cargo area.Nissan Leaf's 24 kWh lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery is comprised of 48 compact modules of four cells each, which allows a high degree of packaging flexibility. The batteries are designed to maximise drive time and minimise charging time. Unlike conventional cylindrical batteries, the thin, compact laminated cells offer more flexibility in design applications.Responsive performance comes from the 80kW (108bhp) electric motor that instantly generates its maximum 280Nm torque equivalent to the torque of a conventional 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine -from a standing start. The Nissan Leaf is easy to drive.The electric power train does not idle and only rotates when the vehicle is moving. To start the engine, the driver need only press the start button, and electricity begins flowing to the motor. Using the electric shift, the driver then selects 'D' range, and the vehicle starts to move.Leaf's regenerative braking system helps replenish its range. By applying the brakes or reducing speed by letting off the accelerator, the electric motor acts as an electric generator, converting energy, that would otherwise be wasted, into battery energy.To increase regenerative braking, there is a driver-controlled Eco mode setting, which can also be used to reduce air conditioning and thus improve driving range when driving in urban areas. Leaf has an "Approaching Vehicle Sound'' for pedestrians. Driving range depends on several factors, including external temperature, air conditioning usage, battery age and driving behaviour. The Leaf onboard navigation system is smart enough to tell you based on destination input and state of charge whether you have the range to make it and if not, search for nearby charging station along the route.In the event that the battery becomes critically low, power limitation mode will automatically minimise energy consumption and reduce speed to help you get to a charging dock. 

With the Nissan Leaf electric hatchback about to be launched here, sales of second-hand electric cars are showing early indications of low retained values. Brisbane City Council recently sold one of two electric cars at less than a third of its cost price after just two years and about 4000km. The other one failed to sell at auction, but is available at about $16,000 through Manheim auctions.  The Australian-made Blade Electron Mark V cost about $48,000 and is based on the petrol-powered equivalent Getz that last sold in 2011 for $13,990-$16,990. Glass's Guide research analyst Rushad Parkar says retained values for a two-year-old petrol-powered Getz are 84 per cent retail and 52 per cent trade for much higher kilometres travelled. "We at Glass's as of now do not have a policy outlined to determine used values for electric cars,'' he says. "However ... we believe the residual value will follow a path similar to that of the hybrid cars. The market is generally not showing acceptance towards them and the high price across the segment is also a major factor that hampers sales. "Also the lack of available samples ... is a major reason why we have no pricing on these vehicles.'' Brisbane City Council usually keeps vehicles for three years or 60,000km, but disposed of their Victorian-made electric vehicles after only two years and 4000km. Council refused to comment on the use of the electric vehicles but it is believed they will buy two of the new Leaf electric vehicles, costing $51,500. Nissan corporate affairs manager Jeff Fisher says 13 dealers have been selected to sell the Leaf EV, out of their 190 dealers. "Obviously we are looking firstly at city/urban-based dealers rather than country dealers,'' he says. "Since we launched it globally, we have had 3000 showing an initial interest and we are pursuing them to see if they are maintaining an interest as the car gets closer to sale. "Most of those are private buyers. "As with a lot of hi-tech vehicles, our customers will come from early adaptors, socially aware individuals, usually inner city dwellers and most likely as a second car. "Our fleet sales team has also been going around the country exposing decision-makers to the car, so we'll expect some feedback on their level of interest.'' Nissan Australia has joined with Origin Energy to assess a home recharging system. "We are underwriting an assessment of people's homes for recharging points,'' he says. "We've got a little bit more than 100 of those in the pipeline who might be Leaf owners in the future. The car which arrives in June will be available in one trim level. "We see it as a premium model which has everything that is available,'' Fisher says.  

Origin says it will provide eastern states customers access to electricity from sustainable sources, home and office charging equipment, electricity management and advice in its key eastern states markets. The partnership is designed to make public and fleet purchase of electric vehicles easy and cost effective, says Origin spokesman Phil Craig. "We will give options for electric vehicle owners on the type of charging station and where the electricity is sourced,'' he says. "Users can specify 100 per cent of the electricity from sustainable sources, or 50 per cent or 25 per cent. Opting for 25 per cent sustainable electricity only adds about $1 a week to the bill.'' Mr Craig says the agreement will help establish electric vehicles as a viable, convenient and more sustainable alternative to fossil-fuelled vehicles. Origin has four all-electric cars - two Mitsubishi i-MiEVs and two Leafs - and will increase its electric fleet vehicles when the Leaf goes on sale in Australia in June. Mr Craig says the agreement with Nissan was not exclusive and Origin would be open to provide green services with future electric-car makers in Australia. Renault will later this year introduce its all-electric Fluence ZE sedan.  Nissan's outgoing CEO, Dan Thompson, said the Leaf has the potential to change the shape of urban and suburban motoring in Australia. "This agreement with Origin gives us a major strategic competitive advantage,'' he says. "It is this shared awareness of and advocacy for cleaner forms of energy that makes the Nissan and Origin agreement such a fitting and promising one.''  More than 25,000 Nissan Leafs are already on the roads around the world.

The Koreans starred, the Japanese mounted a comeback, and One Ford hit the headlines with an extended family of Focus-based newcomers that it is certain to make a big hit in Australia. But it was one car and the commitment of its company chief that made the most impact as America fought back on the opening day of the 2011 North American International Motor Show. It takes a step beyond the NV200 that will be sold in the US as a small commercial with taxi prospects, and also is likely to go on sale, but probably not until 2014. The petrol NV200 has previously been announced as New York's 'Cab of the Future' and the electric version has already undergone a trial program with Japan Post and is scheduled for a future one with FedEx in London. Like the Leaf, the e-NV200 uses a 80kW/280Nm electric motor powered by a 24kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted under the van floor. A single-speed transmission drives the front wheels, and -- again similarly to the Leaf -- Nissan claims it would probably get around 160km of range. While the design strongly follows the NV200 in concentrating on payload space, the electric concept gains the Leaf's charge point hatch on the grille, and adds a bit of tech-esque bling in the form of blue-tinted headlights and taillights. There's also a geek chic feel to the cabin concept, with a flat instrument display obviously modelled to mimic a tablet. With the current race to stuff ever more novel gadgets into cabins, the tablet display could conceivably survive into the production model. But it's hard to see the same luck for the two-tone blue alloy wheels on the concept.

A household wiring inspection will be part of the package for private owners of the first family-sized electric car when it hits the showroom floor. Nissan announced pricing for the Leaf as it prepares to start selling the car to fleet operators and taking customer inquiries. Private buyers will have their homes' wiring assessed to ensure it is capable of taking the 10-amp draw required to charge the Leaf on a "level one" basis. Nissan is also recommending they upgrade to a 15-amp recharge facility - but can't yet give a price on what the "level two" charging point will cost. Nissan Australia brand manager Darren Holland said recharging via a 15-amp supply would take about eight hours if the battery was flat - and most owners won't come close to using the 140km "real world" range during their daily commute. "Level three" public charging stations will charge the battery to 80 per cent capacity in around 30 minutes. The Leaf will be the second fully electric mass-produced vehicle available for sale in Australia. Mitsubishi is already selling the smaller i-MiEV for $48,800. Nissan Australia CEO Dan Thompson predicted sales "will be in the hundreds" in the vehicle's first six months on the road. "We've already had huge interest from fleet managers ... this is a genuine five-seat electric vehicle that doesn't compromise space, comfort or practicality," he said. Unlike the Renault Fluence ZE that is also due to go on sale mid-year, the Leaf is not designed for battery swaps. The car is a powered by an 80kW/280Nm electric motor and the inbuilt satnav system shows the range the vehicle can travel on its battery charge. The Leaf scored the top five stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests.