Nissan Leaf

Nissan LEAF electric vehicle

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The Nissan Leaf five-door hatchback is as close to a unique car as you’ll get: It’s one of two pure electric cars offered in the U.S. for the 2011 model year. And it’s one of only a handful of “electric-drive” cars, which power the wheels solely with one or more electric motors rather than mechanical drive derived from engine torque. It competes with a number of plug-in vehicles just entering the market or soon to come, only one of which—the Coda Sedan—is also a pure electric vehicle. Others are the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle, which provides 40 miles of pure electric range and then another 300 or so miles by using a gasoline engine to turn a generator that provides electric power to its motor, and the Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid, which is essentially a conventional Prius hybrid-electric vehicle fitted with a larger battery pack that gives up to 12 miles of electric range and can be plugged in to recharge it.

Nissan hasn’t release pricing on the Leaf as yet, but the company says its overall cost of ownership will be comparable to, or better than, a gasoline car of the same size. That’s likely to mean a higher purchase cost—more than $30,000, most likely—offset by much lower operating costs (2-5 cents per mile for electricity, versus 6 to 15 cents per mile using gasoline). Energy is stored in a 24-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack mounted in the Leaf’s floorpan. It powers an electric motor that drives the front wheels, and should give a range of about 100 miles from a full charge. Recharging takes 6 to 7 hours using 220-Volt power (the same kind used for electric stoves and driers), and Nissan says special fast-charge stations will fill the pack from 20 to 80 percent in less than half an hour. Installation of the home charger costs an additional $1,200 to $1,500.

Nissan claims the compact-size Leaf offers the interior room of a midsize car; its weight of well over 3,000 pounds is clearly more in line with the larger category. Like all electric cars, which can develop peak torque at 0 rpm, it is brisk off the line. Acceleration from zero to 60 mph is likely to be in the 10-second range, and top speed will be 90 miles per hour or close. The Leaf includes the ability to pre-heat or pre-cool the car while it’s still plugged in, to reduce the load on the battery. The coarse, velvety upholstery material is made from recycled plastic bottles and home appliances.

The Leaf is the first of several all-electric models expected from Nissan, which has placed a large bet on all-electric cars versus plug-ins that are either adapted conventional hybrids (like the Prius Plug-In) or use a range extending engine (like the Volt) to provide longer travel distances.