Hey nice! As always with these cars they are more sensitive with their aerodynamic design by having more square corners. I think it’s a good looking car, a different looking car that has a cooler rear end and obviously more functional front end with it’s big headlights…Nifty looking interior sneak peek…

Do you think it’s good looking?

a good looking car except headlights, it looks like toad’s eye, bit ugly…..

is this really the next generation versa and they are just showing the electric trim level ??????it looks good, i would drive it.

Most likely a lot cheaper than Volt too which makes me really question the viability of selling a green vehicle for $40K. When people drop that much $ for a car it better be a Caddy, Merc, or Lexus.

Cool looking car, practical, affordable, incredible mileage. Nissan manage to come up with a nice little original design here, unlike the Honda Hybrid which is an exact carbon copy of the Prius, lol.

But man, isn’t it nice to never have to take a trip to that overpriced, smelly gas station again?

Why must most recent Japanese headlights protrude? It’s so crappy looking in every variation that it turns me off. The 100 mile range doesnt help. The general design is good however.

Well…umm…no…wait…I don’t even no what to say. Umm…well the side profile looks sleek, but what the hell is going on with the back end? Well….I could see this as the next Versa, minus that smug rear fascia.

The Volt is kind of in a different class.

Suddenly the Volt looks gorgeous in comparison!

I like the 100 mile battery range, but I didn’t see anything about a range extending generator like the Volt. So I guess mid to long range trips are off the table for this car.

If it’s priced around $20k I’d buy it. If it’s above $25k then I’d probably buy the Volt.

friggen Renault-style rearend has infiltrated the Nissan brand. Someone kill it quick before it spread to all their other vehicles ugh

I was going to say it isn’t that bad, but after looking at the larger photos and the rear…

The only way these things will gain acceptance is if they look like fairly normal cars. They are cars in the end… so why call them EV’s? The reason why the Tesla has been successful in the media is because it doesn’t look like some wacky car.

Only requirements for me would be air conditioning, 100 mile range, 80 miles per hour and enough room for five and some luggage.

If this goes for $30k, I would buy the Volt. I really do like the concept and idea behind the Volt.

Nissan will get sued by Apple on the zero logo.
Looks like quicktime player on wheels.

Why do Nissan’s designs look weird?

i dont see this breakin the barrier of 25 grand, especially if nissan keeps tho their word to keep it priced in the neighborhood of cars in its size and class(and being versa based that leaves a margin that as i said shouldn’t break 25k) Also this and the tesla are in different classes, the tesla looks like a sleek mobile…and also cost 100k This car is far more appealing to someone who commutes to work everyday, deals with the stop n go, takes trips around the city, but still has a second vehicle to get to the real nitty gritty. No one is goin to own this as their single car cept maybe a college student that doesnt live far from home. Over all…good job nissan.

It is a small practical car, if it holds true (rarely) to what it promises. Based on head on display it should be able to go about 200 km (120 mi) on a charge, which is not bad for commute. You can safely commute 50 miles each way and re-charge it over night. You can’t beat that, if it is in 20-25K range.

I’ve been overseas to long so I’m not sure how the youth in the US think anymore. Here in Germany, even with the expensive price of gasoline, kids want “hot-rods”. They want to tune cars to look cool and drive fast. The eco-wave hasn’t hit big enough yet I think to really keep a car like this on the market long. The Prius would’ve been off the production line a long time ago if it wasn’t for Hollywood I believe. I’m happy to hear there are alternatives near ready to be marketed though and this sounds like a real alternative unlike the Prius.

Huge accolades to Nissan for pulling this off and bringing it to market.

GD NEW LOOKING GREEN CAR BUT W/ A 8 HOURS CHARGING AT HOME AND 1/2 HOUR IN A STATION IS A LOOOOOONNNNG TIME.

Its design looks kinda weird… LIKE A FISH…?!

Abou.. I have to agree this looks less like a leaf and more like a fish.. particularly the “lips” in the front bumper! In tandem with the smiley Acura grille opening and the gaping Mazda3 mouth, it seems Japanese cars are moving steadily closer to looking like the cars in Disney-Pixar’s movie!

Ugly as sin.

Zero emmisions……yeah from the car, but how do people think electricity is generated? Most of it is from fossil fuels so is it really a step forward? EV cars need solar panel roofs continuously charging the battery throughout the day and leaving the option for plug in charge overnight.

crossbonz: So you think it’s the responsibility of car makers to come up with new types of power generation? Power generation is another issue that is being worked on by other industries. Billions of dollars are being spent on new ideas in nuclear, solar, wind, etc.

i’m all for leaving behind the EV trend and moving foward with clean burning bio diesels and hydrogen cell technology, it seems like a much “greener” solution in the long run to me. Cross makes a valid point . Yes new ideas are in the works but NOW the power is comin from burinin coal and and fossil fuels and all that good mess…still putting its deep foot print in the earth. and even once the new ideas break way its still gonna take a while before they are wide spread and used everywhere. This is why im Pro Diesel

I like the way this Nissan Leaf Electric Model looks plus I would’nt mind an Electric cube and actually the gas version gets great gas mileage in itself. But according to what I hear in the rumor mill about EEStor Ultracapacitors:produced by the end of the year. But Electric cars would definitely be the staple “IF” Dick Weir has said which is that the reduction of the power electronics has made the EESU possible and it actually happens!

No Nick, I’m not saying it’s the car makers responsibility to come up with new power sources, but like I said electricity mainly comes from burning fossil fuels right now, so we really aren’t any further ahead. The more electric cars on the market the more electricity we use, therefore we end up burning just as much fossil fuel and polluting the earth an equal amount, so what’s the difference? All this EV business is a moot point unless we find a way to produce electricity for nothing (solar).

New excuses for being late for work:

#256- I forgot to charge the car.
#257- I forgot to pay the electric bill.
#258- somebody slashed my cord.
#259- a _____ (fill in the blank ie. small child, small animal, elderly person, deaf Harley rider) just stepped out right in front of me.
#260- my debit card didn’t work at the charging station.

I am waiting for this car…for sure…$20K is not a problem for me to have an EV although the look could be more pleasant.

California gets only 20% of its electricity from coal sources. The rest comes from natural gas, hydro, nuclear, wind and solar.
So this car is perfect for big states like California. Electric cars here will definitely help us cut down on pollution.

The concept behind the Volt is much better. This just came out of no where.

LMFAO @ johnnycanuck
#256 257 and 258

Wait a minute. Today is a Sunday. A new story on a Sunday. Strange…

Does anyone see some Yaris in the front fascia and A-pillar?

VOLT = ALL HYPE – 40K+ – Lets see when the first car rolls of the production line

LEAF = Modest introduction – Affordable – In drive ways next year

Good Job Nissan!

I see a few problems, not with now it looks but the electric issue again.

Firstly, its ‘zero emissions’ claim is valid while driving, but unless you’re charging the thing from a windmill or solar power, it not technically a zero emission vehicle unless you’re in Cali. Where will get that extra power from? People won’t stop using their A/C units to charge these cars. Also you need to be able to charge it once you get wherever you get, unless you only drive it home.

Secondly, most residential power ‘outlets’ or receptacles are only 110/120 volts, not 220/240 in North America. Only Europe has 220 at home I believe. Charging time will double when the voltage is halved. They forget to mention that for you. Probably in the small print, if they had any. Putting a 240 plug in a residential garage isn’t a big deal (if you know how) but its not code yet so you need to consider that initial cost too.

Lastly, car companies seem to be overpricing alternative energy alternatives (ie hybrids for example), such that people spend more trying to save more. In other words, the price difference is more than the money they save on gas over time. The 2 variables that affect this are car prices and gas prices.

We as drivers are not ready for the complexities of electric cars. We wouldn’t really know how to operate them correctly if you come to think of it. At the same time, the technology is not that advanced and charging will not be easy. The world hasn’t adapted to this yet. Charging stations are impossible to find and the common household does not have 220 volt outlets.

Great start!! Hopefully the other car companies will jump in and test the waters. I want a new electric car that seats 5 at least. My electric truck is getting 10 years old now, so I’m ready for that Tesla, Volt or other ?? that has a plug on it. Hurry up!!

As for the looks, I think they finally found Nemo,….

Just think, if every Nissan dealer installed a charging station at their dealership, you wont have to worry about running out of juice when going on long trips. Simply stop at a Nissan dealer to get your car charged up!

crossbonz – i don’t really buy your argument that we’re not really ahead here…first of all, you would need to prove that an EV using juice from a household socket is equal to the efficiency of the internal combustion engine…i would argue that a gas engine is less efficient than a power station at producing power…so in terms of raw efficiency, EVs have an edge…

then there’s the whole zero-local-emissions thing, which is huge…note i said “local” emissions because i’m well aware that many types of power plants produce waste…the thing is, what’s easier to control the emissions of: a power plant that feeds power to a large city, or the 10 million cars in and around that city? obviously if you centralize the source of pollution it’s easier to make the whole system cleaner…(not to mention if you’re getting your power from hydroelectric, for example, it’s a win-win already)

the widespread availability of EVs will then spur interest in upgrading the power grid so that solar energy from arizona (just as an example) can be piped to homes in maine…it’s definitely going to be interesting to see if/how much this trend catches on…

this car, btw, reminds me of a 2010 mazda 3 hatchback, except for that bulbous rear end business…

“Just think, if every Nissan dealer installed a charging station at their dealership, you wont have to worry about running out of juice when going on long trips. Simply stop at a Nissan dealer to get your car charged up!” — desmints

That is a good idea although there are times where i have traveled at least 100 miles without seeing a Nissan dealer.

I don’t know about other parts of the country, but on the west coast Nissan dealerships are everywhere. Its a very established brand here. And Nissan owns the Infiniti dealerships too, so that could be another option for you to get a charge.

This has to be the ugliest car ever made to date. Anyone who thinks this car is cool or looks good needs to visit the eye doctor.

What do you expect an economy car to look like? A Ferrari? Who gives a sh*t how it looks!? Comfort, reliability, economy are the most important things for this kind of vehicle. You’re not going to be looking at the damn thing when you’re driving it anyway. The same people said the Prius would never sell because the way it looks, well we all know they turned out to be dead wrong about that, don’t we? Personally, I would prefer Nissan spend their time and money on producing an affordable solid, well-engineered car instead of wasting their energy on turning out a vanity mobile. We have enough of those on the road.

I wonder if the Leaf will be the platform for the ‘exchangeable battery’ technology being developed by betterplace and being deployed country-wide in Denmark and Israel. Both of those countries will be using green electrons, Denmark by adding 750 more North Sea wind turbines and Israel by a 70 Gigawatt solar array now under construction. See betterplace.com if you are interested in what is actually going to happen. Makes a lot of sense.

Great concept! It is kind of sad, though, that some of you depreciate it cause it’s not american…

It is what it is. Small battery powered car. I definitely think the Volt(design) is better, but costs more coinage. So, should I get a 100 mile range max or get a Volt and get a 40 mile+ range and at least have a cool looking silent car. I’ve made up my mind.

The design of the car is extremely weird. In some places, it doesn’t look aerodynamic at all.

I’ll wait for a drive and an MSRP before I issue full judgement.

they say that its going to compete financially with other gas powered cars of the same size and class so if that mean if its a 13k~ car like the versa then theyre going to get A LOT of sales

Not even Sir Mix A Lot could love the ass on that thing…

As practical as a golf-cart. Can’t wait for my next 200 mile trip to take me 11 hours!

I like it. This could be a good 2nd car for me. My daily drive is 15 miles, so the range will last me a long time. And I have a 240 in my garage, so it’s perfect.

This doesn’t compare to the Volt in any way. I’d put both this AND the Volt in my driveway. Why? This would be my “drive to work” car, and the Volt would be my “family road trip” car. This can only be charged by the plug, whereas the Volt still runs on gas and doesn’t “need” the plug. The Volt is going to be more of a luxury car, and this is simply a daily driver runabout.

As far as zero emissions, LeftWing understands it perfectly. It’s easier to control pollution in one location than in 1,000,000 cars, and EV motors are far more efficient with the use of their stored energy than gasoline engines. EVs don’t idle. I live in an area that is powered by hydro, so it’s pretty clean for me. Also, I’m saving up for a PV system on my house. Where I live, it’s sunny 360 days a year. So I can actually achieve the zero emissions goal. The battery waste is what I worry about. It’s not as bad as carbon monoxide, though.

I also don’t worry about grid impact. Nissan won’t sell 1,000,000 in the first year. Even if they did, that’s still less than 1% of the cars on the street, and even a smaller percentage compared to the homes using electricity. We won’t see any grid impact for 20 years, and by that time, the grid will be improved enough to accommodate the EVs.

Looks wise, this isn’t all that pretty. I concern myself with interiors more than exteriors, though, because I’ll see the inside more often than the outside. This interior looks pretty typical of an econobox, but the dash looks kind of cool. It does look roomy and comfortable, though. I am glad that the headlights don’t look like fish hooks, though, or this thing would look like the fish that got away – twice.

Doomsdave, this is a daily driver, not a road trip car. Don’t expect to make road trips to Vegas every weekend in it. Instead, use a gasoline car for road trips, and use this to drive to and from work. However, one thing about charging Lithium batteries is that they reach 80% charge in the first 25% of charging time. So basically, you can go another 80 miles after 2 hours of charging. Your 200 mile trip could take as little as 7 hours.

I sure hope Nissan keeps the price down. This could put a huge dent in Prius sales if the price is low enough.

Ugly is as ugly does. Does anybody really think any of these cars look good? This will MRSP BELOW 20k. The Volt does look better, but 40K??????????

Then again, Dave, you could stop at my restaurant in Barstow and get a free quick charge with your meal.

Electric-only vehicles are a complete fail. Who has the extra cash, space, maintenance, insurance premium, etc. to waste on a car that you can only drive to work and back? For any EV to succeed, it needs to be no compromises, especially with range. This thing will bomb hard.

And 7 hours for a 200-mile trip? What a joke. I do it in less than 3 hours non-stop today. 4 hours of just sitting around waiting for that thing to recharge, more than the entire trip! And I love how people just think there will be outlets everywhere so they can charge their car for free. If EVs ever become popular, invest in electrical outlet locks, as those will be selling like crazy!

The Volt is the right idea. Until EVs have vastly increased range like today’s gas-powered cars (at least 300-mile range) and the ability to recharge much faster (less than 5 minutes, like getting gas), then expect them to play a niche part, at best.

If a Carp and a Bullfrog had a child it would look just like this! I know you guys say looks don’t matter in this segment but yikes!

What you guys fail to realize and what isn’t in the article,is that hideous looking vehicle does not include the battery in the price! Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! They are going to lease the battery which according to Nippan,costs $10,000.00! Now your talking about a leaf that is comparable in price to the VOLT if you had the option to purchase the battery and has no where near the versatility as the VOLT.Enjoy making car payments plus battery payments on this turd!

I have deemed that this car is indeed a turd as well. I took into account all data available to me and have found this: it is not a Toyota or a Honda. So, it must be a turd. You may disagree, but you will be taking sides with a turd, so your credibility will go to sh*t. Get it?

The logic in that argument is extremely valid. I can’t dispute your logic, 5551.

Not bad! If I was going to get one of these types of cars, I would take this over the Volt.

I just heard that Hummer is announcing a competitor to the Nissan LEAF. It’s called the Hummer LEAF Blower.