The Very First Electric Car Is Coming To The U.S Just In Time For Christmas – The Nissan Leaf

August 28, 2010 Leave a Comment

This Nissan Leaf is historic because it will be the ever electric vehicle that will be mass produced for sale in the United States; this is history in the making. Lucky Lance Armstrong will be the first individual in the United States to get his hands on the Nissan Leaf on September 3 of 2010, which is three months before it will be released for sale in December. This should not be a big surprise considering the fact that Nissan is a major sponsor of Armstrong in the Tour de France. Armstrong has appeared in numerous commercials promoting the Leaf.

The Leaf is a five door hatchback and features an aerodynamic body. Obviously the Leaf won’t have a fuel door or exhaust pipe since its electric and it will be available in five colors; blue, red, silver, white and black. Sixteen inch wheels and a spoiler gives this car that futuristic look. One really unique aspect of this car is its cool headlights incorporating a blue design which actually divert airflow away from the doors in order to ensure a more comfortable ride. On top of that, these lights actually consume fifty percent less electricity than a regular lamp, which is very appropriate when you consider the car’s eco-conscious theme. The car will be available in a SV and SL version; the SV is standard.

A lithium-ion battery pack powers this car with 107 HP. It will take around four to eight hours to charge the Leaf but a commercial charging station can get it done much quicker in around thirty minutes. This car can go pretty fast; it can reach speeds of up to ninety miles an hour and will be able to travel around one hundred miles before it needs to be re-charged. There is a display which shows how much power you have left and the locations of any nearby charging stations.

You can save substantially on the cost by making use of government tax credits. After applying a huge credit of $7,500, the base price will drop to around $25k from the standard $32,780 price tag. It will cost around $2,000 to have a special charging station installed in your home which will be able to charge the car in thirty minutes but some states offer tax incentives which almost recoup this expense. The price is much lower than what you would expect from such an innovative car.

This car sports all the latest cool gadgets and tech advances. A navigation system comes standard with the car and an advanced feature lets you actually heat and cool your car from your phone before you get in, just perfect for those cold winter days or blistering hot summers. The audio system offers satellite radio, 6 speakers and is compatible with Ipod music players. Safety features include airbags, 4-wheel anti-lock brakes, traction control, front and rear stabilizer bars, a tire pressure monitoring system and an alarm system.

This is the first electric car that will be mass produced. The Nissan Leaf is the perfect car if you want to go green and want to experience the latest automotive technology. Lance Armstrong will get his Leaf in September but the rest of us will be able to experience this car for ourselves in December. If you are thinking about going green and want to be part of history, then check out the new Nissan Leaf.

Written by Jacqueline Star: Used Cars San Bernardino, Carrollton Used Cars

Filed Under Electric Cars Tagged With auto reviews, autos, car reviews, cars, Electric Cars, leaf car, nissan, nissan electric car, nissan leaf

Nissan Leaf Ready To Hit The Road

July 20, 2010 Leave a Comment

Want to help the environment? 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? Will it be practical for the average consumer?

The advantages are many. Imagine never having to pull into the gas station again. Most electric cars, including the Chevy Volt, are able to use gasoline when the battery dies. That’s not true of the Leaf. This car runs on electricity only. You?ll never go to the gas station. You won?t know or care whether gas is more than $3 a gallon. This carries a risk, though, and it?s one of the main reasons that electric cars haven?t taken off before now. 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. The Leaf can go 100 miles on a charge. That?s more than enough for most people. Very few drivers travel more than 100 miles in a day on a regular basis. 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. Yep ? that’s less expensive than a gallon of gas.

Nissan’s Leaf is emissions free. That?s music to the ears of anyone who believes it?s ludicrous to contaminate the air we breathe to the point where we have a smog alert system. When the air is unhealthy to breathe, the Air Quality Management District issues a smog alert, advising people not to exercise outdoors. Soccer practices, picnics and recesses are cancelled and people are forced indoors. All because we can’t seem to break our reliance on gasoline powered engines. What if you could use your car all you want without polluting the air? Imagine now that zero emissions cars are the norm and gasoline is only something from the history books.

One major obstacle to any alternate fuel vehicles has been price. Research and development makes new technology expensive. Americans can buy a Nissan Leaf for about $35,000. It’s possible than Nissan is pricing it as low as they can in order to get a foothold on the electric car market. The price of the Leaf is higher in Japan. Car buyers can claim a $7,500 tax credit, bringing the effective price down to $27,500. This is low enough to compete with the Toyota Prius and the Honda CR-V. A home charging station costs about $2,200 installed, and are eligible for a tax credit of 50% of the price.

The other challenge comes in on long drives. 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. The car could be fully charged and ready to go by the time you finish a meal. 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.

In spite of the few remaining problems, I think the Nissan Leaf is practical for most drivers.

Written by Hannah Valez San Bernardino Nissan Dealer Nissan Dealers Orange County

Filed Under Electric Cars Tagged With automotive, cars, CR-V, Electric Cars, Honda, leaf, nissan, Toyota

Electric Cars For Green Movement

June 10, 2010 Leave a Comment

For sure, at some point, you’ve heard from the news or read inside the newspaper the wonders of power motors. You will discover several reasons why electrical motors are all over the bulletins perfect now. 1 point behind this phenomenon is that electronic vehicles are types of automobiles that are driven by fuel cells. And due to the fact the rise of fuel costs are obtaining noticed by the public, the benefit of an electric car is clearly seen.

An additional because utility automobiles are popular is simply because electric vehicles are environmentally friendly due to the fact they produce less pollution than the usual gasoline-powered automobiles. And 1 a lot more explanation concerning the hype is since of the stories about the hybrid electric powered automobiles which are largely owned by celebrities that promotes the ‘Green Movement’.

Most on the time, electronic automobiles aren’t bought brand new by car owners rather a conversion of their previous typical automobile. In plain internet site you might somewhat have a difficult time to spot when the vehicle is an utility one particular or not. One particular way to point out if the auto can be a converted electrical automobile is the sound of it. Frequent gasoline-powered vehicles are a little loud and electric automobiles are virtually silent. Even so, you are able to very easily distinguish the make in the motor vehicle once the hood is popped-up. If a regular gasoline-powered car or truck is converted to an electrical motor vehicle then you definitely will notice that the following:

1. The fuel engine is traded for an electronic motor,
2. The controller obtains it power from the selection of rechargeable batteries and
3. The electrical motor gains its energy by way of the controller.

Power vehicles are usually defined like a refined wiring project. Contrariwise, mainly because of its fuel lines, colorant hoses, exhaust pipes and entry manifolds, a frequent gasoline-powered car or truck is defined being a rough plumbing project.

So why opt for a utility motor vehicle against regular car or truck? Yet another motive is since utility automobiles offer a distinct encounter in driving. Most of electronic cars, because of their low center of gravity, supply outstanding handling along with swift initial enhance of velocity. Even at lower pace or speed, electric powered motor presents almost incessant rotating force that permits the automobile to do things that normal or traditional petroleum based automobiles can not do. A single wonderful case of point of this is when you’re driving a normal gasoline-powered car or truck and you’re steering up to a curb in a street. Using the frequent auto there’s still require for you personally to stop, aim to climb the curb and kick-start the motor to reach your goal. But with a power car or truck, it will be a breeze for you personally to climb the curb.

Converting regular gasoline-powered autos to electric vehicles have so quite a few other benefits as well. And naturally, it also has its share of drawbacks. To fully understand how to convert one particular yourself or comprehend what your mechanic is performing for your automobile then you definitely can hit the web to search for details in regards to building a power motor vehicle. While using many sites the functions this phenomenon then it is going to also be a breeze to suit your needs to discover the guidelines and fine points of converting an electric powered motor vehicle.

James Falcon is an author, and expert in using Green Energy to Increase Fuel Efficiency.Click Here for Guaranteed Fuel Efficiency Results!.

Filed Under Electric Cars Tagged With Alternative Energy, bio fuel, DIY Solar Power, DIY WInd Generator, electric car, Electric Cars, HHO, renewable energy, solar, wind energy
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