All You Ever Wanted to Know about the Nissan LEAF

We cannot ignore the fact that there has been a huge "green" push over the last few years -- encouraging sustainability, lower emissions, and countless hours researching and testing new technologies. For the car industry, this led to the birth of the Hybrid vehicle and eventually the creation of an all-electric vehicle. The Nissan LEAF (which is FINALLY HERE! by the way..), is the first all-electric vehicle with absolutely no emissions and ZERO GAS. No gas. That means no waiting in line, no worrying about the rising price of gas, and no more abuse of the earth's limited natural resources. Now, we all know that a battery won't stay at 100% forever. There will be times when you have to charge your battery. However, the advanced technology that goes into the Nissan LEAF has created long-lasting batteries with an equivalence of 100 miles per gallon when to compared to non-electric vehicles. Also, we're seeing charging stations begin to sprout up everywhere with even Walgreens adding charging stations to their parking lots!

Here's a Q&A from Nissan's website about charging a LEAF.

    Q: How much will my electric bill go up by recharging my Nissan LEAF™ at home?
    A: This will vary by vehicle usage and your electric rate. We strongly recommend that you contact your electricity provider to discuss special rates or incentives that may be available prior to getting an in-home assessment for your charging dock.
    Q: If I want to "prewire" a new home for a future Nissan LEAF™ owner, what is required?
    A: The home charging dock will require a 220/240V 40 amp dedicated circuit connected to a breaker. The charging dock will need to be hard-wired directly to the circuit by a certified electrician.
    Q: Is the home charging station weatherproof?
    A: Yes, the home charging dock is weatherproof.
    Q: When plugging the car in, will it be possible that the car is "smart"enough to pull electricity during non peak hours?
    A: You can program the car to charge whenever you like. Most people will charge overnight at off-peak times like their cell phone.
    Q: What is the estimated price of the home-installed charging station components? Are they separate from the cost of the car?
    A: The average estimated cost of a standard home charging dock installation in a typical new home is approximately $2,000 plus tax and license fees. Federal tax credits may offset a portion of the costs.
    Q: Is there a timer that allows you to set what time the charging starts and stops?
    A: Yes – you are able to set a charging timer in the car. You will also be able to control the car’s functions and charging from any computer or internet-enabled phone.
    Q: Will the charger be built into the vehicle?
    A: Yes. To charge, you will simply need to plug in to an appropriate charging dock which supplies power safely to the charger.
    Q: What is the estimated time for full charging with 110v, 220v and fast charge stations?
    A: It takes about ~30 minutes to 80% at a 480 volt quick-charge station. Starting from a depleted battery, ~7 hours at 220/240V (depending on amperage), about 20 hours at 110/120V.
    Q: Can you install a charging station by yourself or does it have to be installed by a qualified electrician?
    A: Your home charging dock will need to be installed by a professional electrician. But first, we will assist you with a home assessment which will help identify what is needed to make your home Nissan LEAF™ ready.

    Q: How long will it be before you can charge a car anywhere? Like at a gas station?
    A: Nissan is working to encourage third party and government organizations to grow the charging infrastructure. As electric vehicle acceptance grows we expect additional growth. We do believe most people will charge their Nissan LEAF™ at home much like they do their cell phones.
    Q: Can you charge the battery even if it's not empty?
    A: Yes
    Q: Does the navigation system list charging station locations?
    A: The Nissan LEAF™ comes equipped with CARWINGS®. This in-car telematics system will show you battery power and status, charging stations, and more.
    Q: If you run out of power will a "AAA" tow truck have a recharger or would you need to be towed to a recharge station?
    A: The car is equipped with a telematics system called CARWINGS® which will help you locate charging stations before this happens. Additionally, AAA has recently announced an EV-charging pilot program
    Q: Are you working with power companies to develop fast charging stations using higher voltage?
    A: We are working with governments and companies to foster a large network of fast-charging facilities. You can join the effort. Check out the advocacy tools on the website as a starter.
    Q: Is the Nissan LEAF™ going to have an onboard charging system of some kind for emergency back up?
    A: Your Nissan LEAF™ will be delivered with a 110/120V Trickle charge cable that works with the onboard charging system. As the name implies this will be primarily used for opportunity charging and is not recommended to be your primary method of charging. For that we have the Nissan home charging dock which uses a 220/240V dedicated line in your home.
    Q: What do I do if I want to go farther than 100 miles in one trip?
    A: The Nissan LEAF™’s CARWINGS® system will be able to show you charging locations along your route.
    Q: How many charging cycles can the energy storage device survive?
    A: Like all lithium ion batteries, the Nissan LEAF™ battery will experience gradual capacity loss over time. We expect the battery to last over 10 years, however, there may be a gradual loss of capacity of 30% or more depending on your driving patterns, and the effect on your battery. The battery can be used afterward for storage applications.
    Q: Will it plug into a regular household outlet?
    A: It will charge on a regular 110/120V 20-Amp dedicated outlet. This is considered a "trickle charge," which means it would charge at a slower rate. For home charging, we recommend a home charging dock on a dedicated 220/240V, 40A circuit.
    Q: I live in an apartment. How would I go about charging the car?
    A: Talk to your apartment complex owner and other residents about charging stations. You can also use public infrastructure as it becomes available.
    Q: What happens if you run out of electricity on the road?
    A: CARWINGS® is a telematics system in the Nissan LEAF™ which will constantly update to show your vehicle and battery status, as well as charging locations, should you need them.
    Q: You need the infrastructure first. Why would I buy the car when I would be tethered to my home for charging?
    A: Most people will charge their car like a cell phone – at home overnight. We are also actively working with all levels of government and private corporations to grow the public infrastructure.
    Q: Is an upgrade to my home electrical system required to set up the charging station?
    A: A professional evaluation of your home electrical system is part of the overall purchase process. You can start by signing up for Nissan LEAF™ information.
    Q: Since the Nissan LEAF™ solely runs on electricity, would charging from home dramatically increase my electricity bill?
    A: Based on a US average of $0.11/kWh, a full charge will cost about $2.75. It could be even less, if your area has time-of-use rates and you charge at off-peak hours.
    Q: How much will it cost to charge Nissan LEAF™ at a charging station?
    A: The national average electricity cost is $0.11/kWh. That means the average cost to charge the car would be $2.75 from Empty to Full.
    Q: Is there any initiative to develop non-home charging options?
    A: Yes – Nissan is working with all levels of government and private corporations to develop public and work-based charging locations.
    Q: How long does it take to charge?
    A: Most people will charge it like a cell phone overnight at home. A full charge will take ~7h on a 220/240V home charging station. A 480V quick-charging capability will eventually be available in many markets once a standard is set.
    Q: Will there be multiple options on how/where to charge up?
    A: Absolutely. You’ll be able to charge at home, possibly at work and at stations along your route. Options will grow as infrastructure is developed.
    Q: Will there be a standard power plug (110/220V), or do we have to buy a proprietary power outlet or power station?
    A: For home charging we recommend using a Home Charging Dock wired directly to a 220/240 volt 40 amp circuit to supply power to the vehicle.

I’m excited to see more and more people enjoy the Nissan LEAF and move towards sustainable options. This growing technology will completely change the automotive industry. The Nissan LEAF is both sustainable and practical. Its charge is long lasting, it has amazing styling, and it offers a lot of space and comfort! Stop by our dealership today to test drive the all-new Nissan LEAF.

P.S. Ever thought of electric aircraft? http://www.txchnologist.com/volumes/aviation/move-over-electric-car-the-electric-airplane-is-coming

Green Lantern Star Ryan Reynolds Endorses Nissan Leaf

This article is brought to you by University Nissan of Boone, North Carolina. To view the original article, please click here. 

GREEN LANTERN STAR RYAN REYNOLDS STEPS IN TO HELP NISSAN PROMOTE LEAF

By Gavin Conway

Jun 16, 2011at 09:38AM

Under News

Car manufacturers just love a little Hollywood glamour to rub off on their latest sheet metal, so Nissan is ‘ecstatic’ to have Ryan Reynolds on board to help promote the LEAF electric car.

Canadian actor Reynolds, who stars in the new comic book-based blockbuster Green Lantern, is a Nissan LEAF owner and a committed environmental activist.

“For me, electric vehicles, like the Nissan LEAF, are not only representative of taking back the power, but also a significant statement about conscious ways of living,” says Reynolds. That’s an appropriately superhero thing to say – in the movie, Reynolds plays a test pilot invested with otherworldly powers. He is also a member of an intergalactic squadron tasked with keeping peace within the universe. So it could be argued Reynolds is saving the planet offscreen and on.

At the premiere of Green Lantern at in Hollywood last night, Reynolds pulled up to the red carpet in his personal Nissan LEAF, ditching the traditional limousine.

As well as promoting the LEAF, Reynolds will also be involved in Nissan’s ‘Innovation for Endurance’ programme, which is all about promoting fitness. The programme already boasts supporters such as Olympian and fastest American marathoner Ryan Hall, elite cyclist Levi Leipheimer and Tara Stiles, author ofSlim Calm Sexy Yoga.

Innovation for Endurance is part of a partnership Nissan entered with Rodale Inc., a publishing outfit that focuses on fitness with titles such as Bicycling, Runner’s World and Running Times. The titles will feature editorial content from the campaign.

Nissan Leaf Wins 2011 World Car of the Year

Brian Carolin accepts the WCOTY award

NEW YORK, N.Y. (April 20, 2011) - Today, at the New York International Auto Show, the 100-percent electric, zero-emission Nissan LEAF was named 2011 World Car of the Year, edging out the BMW 5-Series and the Audi A8 for the top spot. Today's award is the latest in a string of accolades for the world's first affordable mass-market, all-electric vehicle for the global market, which was also named European Car of the Year.

"It is a great joy that the world's first, mass-marketed electric vehicle, the Nissan LEAF, has won the prestigious award of 2011 World Car of the Year," said Nissan Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn. "This accolade recognizes Nissan LEAF, a pioneer in zero-emission mobility, as comparable in its driving performance, quietness and superb handling to gas-powered cars. And it validates Nissan's clear vision and the values of sustainable mobility that we want to offer to customers around the world."

The World Car Awards jurors observed that, "The Leaf is the gateway to a brave new electric world from Nissan. This 5-seater, 5-door hatchback is the world's first, purpose-built, mass-produced electric car. It has a range of over 100 miles on a full charge claims Nissan, takes around 8 hours to recharge using 220-240V power supply and produces zero tailpipe emissions. Its low center of gravity produced sharp turn-in with almost no body roll and no understeer. The good news? It feels just like a normal car, only quieter."

The World Car of the Year competition was launched in 2004, with winners chosen by a panel of automotive journalists from Asia, Europe and North America.

Nissan LEAF is available in Japan, the United States and select European markets and will be released in other global markets in 2012. The vehicle is currently built at Nissan's Oppama, Japan plant. It also will be manufactured at the company's Smyrna, Tenn., plant in the United States in late 2012 and at Nissan's Sunderland plant in the United Kingdom by early 2013.

Aiming to be the world leader in zero-emission vehicles, Nissan, with its Alliance partner, Renault, has formed partnerships with more than 90 governments, cities and other organizations around the world not only to develop and produce EV and lithium-ion batteries but also to promote sustainable mobility. Nissan is also taking a comprehensive approach to encourage to the world to more sustainable mobility such as improvement of charging service, infrastructure deployment, the promotion of the use of recycled materials and overall energy management system including second-life use of lithium-ion batteries.

Check out our Nissan Leaf Blog

Nissan Ranked #4 World's Most Innovative Company

We are pleased to announce that FastCompany.com listed the 50 Most Innovative Companies worldwide and Nissan was #4 on the list, beating top companies like Google, Netflix, ESPN, Amazon, and many more! 
















Here's the Article Explaining Why Nissan Was Picked:

4  NISSAN

For creating the Leaf, the first mass- market all- electric car

 Not long ago, Nissan was being pilloried for a lineup with few hybrid options, as well as CEO Carlos Ghosn's stubborn insistence on investing in unproven all-electric technology. Among the skeptics: his own employees. But with the Leaf, Ghosn has proven the naysayers shortsighted, and grabbed the lead for Nissan in the race toward truly sustainable transportation. Ghosn sat down with Fast Company to talk about the Leaf, the imperative to embrace change, and the hope of emerging markets.

Give us the 30-second sales pitch for the Leaf.

 This is the only zero-emission car on the market. Other electric cars use gasoline; this one, there is not one drop. It's fun to drive, but I can't describe it. The only way you'll discover it is by getting behind the wheel. There's no vibration, no smell, no noise. This is the future -- and everything else is going to look obsolete, like sending messages with pigeons.

Is this the end of the internal-combustion engine?

 No one is saying this is the solution. We're going to make different solutions. We're not going to stubbornly defend one technology. We are open enough to accept a solution that may not be the one I like, but the one that is needed.

This is not going to take the market by storm for one reason: There's not enough capacity. Our estimate is that electric cars will have 10% of the global market in 10 years. Some people say 5% or 1%, another study says 7%, but we'll start with 10%.

Who are your prime targets?

 Women and young people. Our problem is not selling the car. This is something people have been asking for. But the first electric cars were awful. They were selling for $100,000. Who's going to buy that? Then you have the Volt, which is, what, $40,000? This is $25,000 [after government incentives], but even that I consider expensive. I don't want to make a niche product.

How did Nissan get ahead in the all-electric race?

 It was a big decision to go in this direction in 2006. The first reason was we thought we could change the battery. We had technology to invest in. Number two, we had the consciousness that something had to be done about global warming. Number three, oil was becoming an issue -- not only an environmental issue but a political issue. A trade issue. Then, a fourth element was that the Asian markets were exploding. In 10 years, you're not going to have 700 million cars driven every day on the planet; you're going to have 2 billion. If you already have an emissions problem with 700 million cars, what problems are you going to have with 2 billion?

Did you have to overcome opposition from your 350,000 employees?

 Of course. We had to explain why electric is huge for the industry. People need to feel the passion, vision, determination, and focus. I didn't say it was going to be easy or safe. I said it would be a challenge -- but if someone could do it, it would be us.

What in your background makes you adaptable?

 Change has always been part of my life. I was born in Brazil in a region that was not even a territory. If you saw a picture of Porto Velho then, you would be shocked. It was in the middle of the Amazon. I spent five years there, then went to Lebanon, then to France. Someone once said to me, "You know what an emerging market is because you've always been there." I don't need someone to tell me how people who don't have enough money are going to act, because I know.

What could CEOs in mature markets better understand about emerging markets?

 If you're already a CEO and you don't understand emerging markets, it's a little bit late. If you want to prepare somebody for the future, I would say you need to spend time in an emerging market. When I started my career, I spent one summer in a mine in the northern part of France. I worked from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. and learned about that life. For emerging markets it's the same--go spend one year in Brazil. Don't go to São Paulo; go into the countryside. Look at how people spend their time, what they do for fun. See how people live.

What common trends do you see among emerging markets?

 Tremendous hope for a better future. In the four big emerging markets--China, India, Russia, Brazil--people have no doubt that tomorrow is going to be better. Maybe it will take 5, 10, 20 years, but there is no doubt. Another thing: The car is one of the most desired objects, and people who buy a car for the first time aren't going to do it small. They want five seats, to pick their friends and family up. They get the biggest car they can afford.

It's tough to be calm when so much is changing.

 It is uncomfortable, but what makes our job interesting is that it's not routine. I can't imagine two years down the road I'll be doing the same thing I am doing today. I'll have to adjust. Every generation needs to learn how to relearn. With the electric car, we're hiring electricians and special-materials chemists, and we're telling our staff we have too many people with other skills. We say, You're going to have to adapt to the new technology. It's not easy, but it's not impossible. What you're learning today is good, but tomorrow you're going to need something else.

Here's a letter from the editor that's posted on the website as well: 



I sat down with the head of a major Hollywood studio this week, at a chic and exclusive destination in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood, and he plied me with tales of intrigue, drama, sudden collapse, and heartfelt resurgence. No, he wasn't pitching upcoming releases; he was telling me about his studio's business over the past year. It was a compelling saga, full of twists and characters and exotic foreign locales. Perhaps in a subsequent issue of Fast Company, you'll get to read all about it.


His drama couldn't unseat the business story of the year, though, which undoubtedly is Apple. How long before we see a film version of "The Invincible Apple" (which is the cover line we used last summer to capture Apple's triumphs)? Imagine Daniel Day-Lewis as Steve Jobs, struggling with health ailments, yet still zooming past his old rivals at Microsoft! The iPhone 4 gets crushing reviews from Consumer Reports -- and still sells like hotcakes! The iPad is ridiculed as a terrible name (remember those blogs?), yet becomes a ubiquitous cultural touchstone that spawns a new app ecosystem. In putting together this month's special package on the 2011 Most Innovative Companies, we really had no choice: Apple had to be No. 1.


There were other stories of the year, not least of which is the No. 1 from our 2010 list, Facebook. Founder Mark Zuckerberg deftly sidestepped the distractions of The Social Network, calmly guiding his company to an estimated $2 billion in revenue and a $50 billion valuation. Then there's Groupon's snubbing of Google -- and its charge toward a mega IPO.
But it takes more than a good story to earn a spot on our Most Innovative Companies list. No algorithm can adequately compare a worldwide auto business like Nissan (No. 4 this year) with a small, New York -- based not-for-profit like DonorsChoose.org (No. 21). Still, both have done extraordinary things in very different areas.


The goal of our list is to represent the breadth of innovation across the economy -- and to inspire our readers to engage with it. We try to include surprises, which is one reason we are biased against repeating businesses that have been on the list before. Is a company like China's Changchun Dacheng Industrial Group (No. 46) really more innovative than Hulu or Disney (neither of which made the list this year, though they are highlighted in Updates, beginning on page 18)? Tough call, yet Changchun Dacheng allows us to highlight how sophisticated Chinese manufacturing, science, and eco-industry have become -- a larger point that is more important than any one company.


Think of our Most Innovative Companies list as a tool we're using to deliver key information about innovation across the globe. And if 50 companies aren't enough for you -- plus the 32 in Updates, and 88 more in our Apple gatefold on page 71 -- check out our Top 10 lists: the 10 most innovative companies in 26 categories, from Brazil to biotech. On page 126, you'll see brief write-ups on six of those categories, and over the coming weeks we'll present fuller coverage on all of them on FastCompany.com. The combined experience, in print and digital -- well, we hope it's a hit.