Walgreens to add EV Charging Stations

This Forbes Article is Brought To You By University Nissan of Boone, NC.

Filling Prescriptions and Car Batteries, Walgreens Gambles on EV-Charging Stations

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Walgreens, one of the largest retail-chain pharmacies in the United States, plans to add electric-vehicle charging stations at about 800 locations across the nation by the end of this year.

“Consumer interest and enthusiasm has been incredible and we’re excited to provide locations to charge up in neighborhoods across the country,” said Walgreens President of Community Management and Operations, Mark Wagner. “As more Americans embrace environmentally sustainable technologies, our convenient locations make us uniquely positioned to help address the concern around accessibility or ‘range confidence.’

The company’s neighborhood stores will provide EV drivers a high-speed DC charger that can add 30 miles of range in as little as 10 minutes of charging time or a Level 2 charger that can add up to 25 miles of range per hour of charge.  The majority of charging stations will be established in Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.  In addition, select locations in Florida, New Jersey, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington will also receive EV charging stations.

When the company completes the initial charging station building, Walgreens will account for nearly 50 percent of all public EV charging stations across the country, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Read the full article here: http://blogs.forbes.com/williampentland/2011/07/24/filling-prescriptions-and-car-batteries-walgreens-gambles-on-ev-charging-stations/

Leaf Gets Five-Star Safety Rating!

Leaf Gets Five-Star NHTSA Crash Rating
Nissan Motor Co.'s electric Leaf won a five-star overall rating from government safety regulators Monday. The Detroit News reports that the Leaf won the rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's New Car Assessment Program. The vehicle got four stars for frontal crash and rollover tests and five stars for side crashes. Overall, it was awarded five stars. Click here for a picture. The Leaf has also been named Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "The Nissan Leaf is the first all-electric vehicle to achieve five-star overall for safety," noted Brian Carolin, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Nissan North America Inc. "Not only is the Leaf the most innovative car on the planet, it is also one of the safest." Standard Nissan Leaf safety systems include dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt and occupant classification sensors, front seat-mounted side impact supplemental air bags, roof-mounted curtain side impact supplemental air bags for front and rear-seat outboard occupant head protection, three-point seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters, and a child seat upper tether anchor. Vehicle dynamic control and traction control are standard on all Leaf models. For more on the Leaf and safety, click here.

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.

Nissan Leaf Drive Electric Tour Q&A Walkaround

Our General Manager, John Cook, and Sales & Lease Specialist, Justin Mitchell, had the opportunity to attend the Nissan Leaf Drive Electric Tour in Charlotte, NC. 

This video is a compilation of what Nissan presented to them about the All-New Leaf. Click on the picture to access the video. 

Please enjoy and post any questions you may have! 

Nissan Ranked 4th Most Innovative Company for Leaf

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.

Nissan LEAF Makes ‘Greenest 2011 Model-Year Vehicles List’

The Greenest 2011 Model-Year Vehicles List is finally here and to the surprise of many, the list is filled with a lot of traditional gasoline engine vehicles.

This year’s list, which consists of 12 cars, was ranked by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and contains what they believe to be the most eco-friendly cars on the market.

The natural gas-powered Honda Civic GX topped the list for an eighth year in-a-row, with a score of 54. Following close behind the Honda Civic GX, was none other than the Nissan LEAF. The  hybrid electric Chevrolet Volt didn’t make the top ten vehicles, but it did manage to squeak into the last spot.

Internal combustion models such as the Smart Fortwo, the Ford Fiesta and the Hyundai Elantra were also on the list.

Unfortunately, the electric version of the Smart Fortwo did not make the list because it didn’t have enough sales. According to industry experts, the electric version of the Smart Fortwo would have pulled in a score of 60, if the vehicle didn’t have only 250 units of the 2011 model available in the U.S.

Diesel vehicles were not considered for this list.  And the widely popular all-electric Tesla Roadster didn’t make the cut.

Battery manufacturing and disposal processes (which can be emissions-laden and toxic) were also key factors in  calculating the official standings for the list, it also  knocked  some of the electricity-dependent vehicles down a few rungs.

“Vehicles running on electricity emit nothing from the tailpipe, but their ‘upstream’ emissions can be substantial, depending on where they’re charged,” said Therese Langer, the organization’s director. “As U.S. power generation becomes cleaner, these vehicles’ scores will rise.”

This article was brought to you by University Nissan of Boone, NC. For more information, visit 

http://nissan-leaf.net/2011/02/22/nissan-leaf-makes-greenest-2011-model-year-vehicles-list/

Nissan LEAF & Chevrolet Volt To Be Featured AT IEEE

The  Chevrolet Volt and the all-electric Nissan Leaf vehicle will be featured attractions at the IEEE-USA Electric Vehicles & Personal Transportation Workshop on Friday, March 4, 2011  at the Renaissance Austin Hotel in Texas.

IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of more than 210,000 engineering, computing and technology professionals who are U.S. members of IEEE.

The IEEE-USA Workshop will showcase the opportunities and obstacles endured by electric vehicle transportation as well as the insight from 8 panels of more than 20 technology, academic, industry and policy experts.

Craig Eppling, the General Motors regional communications manager is scheduled  to be on-hand to speak  about the Volt at the electric vehicle market panel. Eppling will partnered by Mark Perry, the director of product planning for Nissan America and Rob Ferber, the chief technology officer for the KLD Energy Technologies.

Some of the other workshop showcases include controlling the PEV loads, PEVs and the electricity business, EV policy issues, charging infrastructure, customer acceptance, personal electric transportation and the PEVs and electric grid.  Electric scooters are also expected to be featured at the event.

The cost for the workshop, which includes a buffet breakfast, lunch, coffee breaks and a post-event reception, is $175 for IEEE members and $200 for nonmembers. It will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visithttp://www.ieeeusa.org for more information and to register for the event.

Contact Colonel Mason at colonel@prfirm1.com or 214-329-4949 for exhibit and sponsorship opportunities.

http://nissan-leaf.net/2011/02/28/nissan-leaf-chevrolet-volt-to-be-featured-at-ieee/

Nissan Leaf Electric Vehicle "As Green As It Gets"

Tool$ Tuesday: What's Your Vehicle's Carbon 'Tire-print'?

BY: PAUL SOLMAN

Today's "Tool$ We Use" features three on the carbon emissions you generate by driving, with a bonus global warming video attached for your viewing discomfort.


On the broadcast Monday: a story about electric cars, with a focus on GM's Chevy Volt. Electric cars are touted as green and cost efficient, but are they REALLY that much cheaper and greener than regular old gas-guzzlers? Brad Berman, editor of PluginCars.com and HybridCars.com, wanted to find out how they compare.


"I decided to undertake a comparison of C02 emissions and cost for a typical gas, hybrid and electric car," Berman wrote about his project. "I specifically wanted to know about the relative carbon emissions of pure electric cars in different parts of the country, depending on the coal/renewable mix at various electricity generation plants."


His estimates?


"[F]or a myriad of reasons -- from less local air pollution to greater reduction of our dependence on foreign oil and lower fuel costs--the pure electric car is as green as it gets," he concluded.

We thought these numbers were pretty interesting. But not everyone agrees with his analysis. You can check out his reasoning, and some challenges from his readers.

And here are some tools that allow you to check the carbon costs of your vehicle:

The Clean Air Conservancy was forced to close its doors at the end of the year, due to a funding crunch. But its driving carbon calculator remains up online and is easy and chastening to use. Just plug in a few basics about your vehicle and driving habits and voila: how much C02 you emit and how much it would have cost, before CAC closed, to offset it.

Click here to use the Clean Air Conservancy's calculator.

Terrapass gives a more conservative estimate of your mileage efficiency (or at least it did for my 2001 Acura) and includes other aspects of carbon usage as well.

Click here to use the Terrapass calculator.

Third, The Nature Conservancy also has an in-depth carbon calculator, but users cannot enter just vehicle information.

Click here to use The Nature Conservancy's calculator.

Nissan Constructs Massive EV Battery Plant In Tennessee

Nissan Constructs Massive EV Battery Plant In Tenn.
by NISSAN IN THE NEWS on JANUARY 27, 2011




Construction continues on what will become one of the largest electric vehicle battery plants in the United States. The plant is being built at Nissan’s manufacturing facility in Smyrna, Tennessee, and it will produce lithium-ion batteries to power the Nissan Leaf.


The plant will occupy 1.3 million square feet and will be capable of producing 200,000 advanced-technology batteries annually. The assembly plant adjacent to the site is currently being retooled to produce the Leaf EV as well. Combined, Nissan Leaf and battery production will create up to 1,300 U.S. manufacturing jobs when the plants are operating at full capacity.


Construction is being supported by a U.S. Department of Energy loan for 80 percent of that investment, up to $1.4 billion. The loan was given as part of the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program, a $25 billion program authorized by Congress as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The program is aimed at promoting U.S. energy dependence.


“Nissan is making significant strides to be one of the largest producers of electric vehicles and batteries in the United States,” said Carlos Tavares, Chairman, Nissan Americas. “We applaud President Obama’s goal of bringing 1 million electric vehicles to U.S. roads by 2015 and look forward to doing our part to ensure that many of those vehicles, and the batteries that power them, are built in the United States.”

9 Things You Need to Know Before Buying an Electric Car

Interested in buying an electric car? Check out these buying tips, so you know about maintenance, battery charging and warranties, and other key factors.

Article by Nick Chambers

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/electric-car-buying-tips#ixzz1CkTJhCqt


The buzz in 2011 is about all the new electric cars on the road, led by the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf. But because these are new products to the U.S. market, we asked Nick Chambers, who has written about next-generation automobiles for the New York Times, Popular Mechanics and others, to cut through the hype and offer some practical tips for consumers interested in buying an electric car. He came up with these nine things you should know about electric cars before making a purchase:

1. There Are Two Kinds of Electric Cars

Turbocharger? What's that? In this new world of plug-ins there are really only two types: all-electric cars and plug-in hybrids.

All-electric cars are solely powered by large batteries charged from the grid; when they run out of juice they can't move anymore. The Nissan Leaf (left) is an example of an all-electric car.

Plug-in hybrids have a shorter all-electric driving range using a smaller battery pack. After the battery pack is drained, they can either revert to being a normal fuel-fed hybrid, or they can use fuel to run a generator and recharge the batteries on the fly. The Chevy Volt (right) is an example of a plug-in hybrid.


2. There Are Lucrative Federal and State Incentives to Buy Them
Although the sticker prices for electric cars tend to be higher than similarly-sized and -equipped conventional cars, federal and state governments think they are worth subsidizing and have offered some seriously chunky incentives for you to buy one.

All U.S. taxpayers are eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit — but only if you have a one-year tax liability that exceeds that amount. If you don't have that much tax liability, don't fret, you can lease the car from the manufacturer and use the entire $7,500 to pay down the lease right off the bat. As a result, Nissan and Chevy — the two electric vehicle manufacturers first out of the gate with mass-market offerings — both have relatively affordable $350 per month lease deals. The federal tax credit will remain in effect for a given EV (electric vehicle) manufacturer until it sells more than 200,000 EVs.

In addition to the federal incentives, many states have sweetened the kitty with their own. For example California has a $5,000 credit, Oregon has a $1,500 one and the State of Washington waves its usual 6.5% sales tax charge. Some states also provide special parking and carpool lane privileges. Nissan's LEAF website has a handy tool to help you figure out what incentives are available where you live.

3. There Are Three Ways to Charge Them
Although the engineers will tell you this is a complicated point of discussion, what it really boils down to is that electric car manufacturers in the U.S. can provide three "levels" of charging support for their vehicles.

Level 1 charging happens off of a standard three-prong household outlet. Every electric car comes with a cable that supports this type of charging, but it's slow — only adding about 5 miles of driving range for every hour of charging.

Level 2 charging uses special wall- or pedestal-mounted equipment unique to electric cars. Even so, it is essentially like charging from a standard household dryer outlet. Level 2 charging is faster than Level 1, adding about 15-30 miles of driving range per hour of charging, depending on the vehicle.

DC fast charging uses industrially-rated, gas pump-sized stations to dump electrons into your car's battery like a firehose. Only some cars support this type of charging, and it's usually an option that costs extra. DC fast charging can add about 80 miles of driving range in a half hour of charging.


4. It's Easy To Install a Home Charging Station, But It Costs Extra (Don't Worry, There Are Incentives)
Although every electric car comes with support for Level 1 charging, most people will want to install their own Level 2 charging station at home so that they can fill up their car's battery overnight — but it's by no means a free endeavor.

Level 2 home charging stations will cost between $1,500 and $2,500 to install, depending on the manufacturer and the equipment chosen. If you have special circumstances, such as a long wiring run, the costs can be considerably more. Sounds like a lot, no? The federal government, again, has a pocketful of cash it's ready to dole out, providing a tax credit of 30% of the cost of purchase and installation, up to $1,000.

5. Public Charging Stations Are Coming, But The Rollout Will Be Slow and Sporadic

So you've got your spiffy new electric car, and you coughed up the dough for your own home charging station. If you're like 80% of Americans, that's likely good enough for most of your driving needs — you'll get to the work and back, and have enough to run typical errands. But what about if you want the same freedom that a gas tank and a filling station ever few miles offers? That's where public charging comes in, providing you the ability to extend your electric car's all-electric range substantially. (The Wattstation, at right, is an example of a public Level 2 charger.)

There is currently a huge push from the EV Project — a $250 million joint federal-private program — to install nearly 15,000 public Level 2 charging stations in a handful of early deployment regions around the United States over the course of 2011. This includes areas of Oregon, California, Washington, Tennessee, Texas, Arizona and Washington, D.C. If you live in one of those regions you will have a relatively robust public charging infrastructure quickly. If you don't, you may have to wait a while unless your community is charging ahead without federal support.

6. All-Electric Cars Are for Daily Driving, Not Cross-Country Road Trips
If you buy a plug-in hybrid, you can ignore this because they are capable of taking long-distance trips. However, most of the initial crop of all-electric cars have a range of around 100 miles on a full charge. Some have up to 200 miles, but are quite a bit more expensive. If you have public charging where you live, or you return home and plug-in during the day, you can drive your EV more than 100 miles. Even so, you're not going to be taking them on long trips. Most people who buy an all-electric car will have a second car available for the occasional long trip.

7. You'll Spend Less On Maintenance, But... (Yes, There's a "But")
All-electric cars ditch the thousands of moving parts of a combustion engine and associated transmission for a handful of moving parts in an electric motor. They also have no emissions equipment. As a result you will have very few maintenance costs — no more oil or transmission fluid changes or catastrophic mechanical repairs. And, although plug-in hybrids still have an engine and emissions equipment, they will need far less maintenance than a typical gasoline engine because they will operate as an electric car much of the time.

Even so, EVs have large, expensive batteries that may need to be replaced after 7-10 years. However, in this first crop of electric cars the manufacturers have provided long battery warranties. In the case of both the Nissan LEAF and the Chevy Volt, that warranty is 8 years or 100,000 miles. The average new car buyer owns the car for six years.) In 8 years the price of batteries will likely come down substantially.


8. All-Electric Cars May Not Have Tailpipe Emissions, But They Aren't Emissions Free
Sure, we've all heard the "zero emissions" claim, and some of us have seen it plastered on the side of a Nissan LEAF — but it's not entirely true. About half of the U.S.'s electricity comes from coal-fired power plants, so many drivers are filling up on a dirty fossil fuel – it's just burned a few miles down the road, rather than under your hood. Depending on where you live, this ratio might be more or less — and in places like California or Washington, a large proportion of that electricity comes from natural gas and renewable energy sources, like wind, solar or hydro power.

Even if your electric car is powered by 50% coal there are several studies that conclusively show it will pollute less than the average diesel or gas car, such as this one from the Electric Power Research Institute. (Photo: Istock)

9. Electric Cars Are Really Cheap to Operate, But Expect Higher Utility Bills
Given the average cost of electricity in the United States of about 12 cents per kilowatt hour, you can drive an EV for around three to four cents per mile. At $3.20 per gallon, a 30 mpg gas car costs about eleven cents per mile to drive — plus regular and unexpected maintenance that you likely won't have in an EV. If you drive your EV 50 miles every day, you can expect your electricity bill to increase by half.

Follow Nick Chambers on Twitter: @EcoChambers

First LEAF Owner Raves About Electric Vehicle

First LEAF Owner, Olivier Chalouhi, Gives Updates on Vehicle’s Performance

Posted by Sharon Carter on December 16, 2010

Article from Nissan-Leaf.net

After receiving his LEAF this past weekend, Olivier Chalouhi has been actively answering questions and posting his various ventures/experiences with the car on MyNissanLeaf.com. After riding around in the car and testing it out, Chalouhi believes that Carlos Ghosn was right when he said “once you buy one EV, you won’t go back to ICE.” Being that Olivier is not on Nissan’s payroll, it’s refreshing to get his view on things. 

Here’s a rundown of some of the interesting findings the new owner has made so far.

Olivier is more than happy with his purchase. He has vehemently stated that there’s no chance that he’s ever going back to his day-to-day car. He writes,  “I chose it [the LEAF] because it’s electric, but if it wasn’t but still had the same characteristics (noise, acceleration, comfort, equipment, price), I would buy it.”  He goes on to say, “Electric cars are by FAR superior.”

Chalouhi compared the vehicle to his wife’s Ford Fit, stating that the LEAF is more comfortable, better equipped and is much more silent.”I also think that you have a lower perception of speed in the LEAF(ie, 40 mph feels slow in the LEAF given lack of noise, and it’s a bigger car),” Olivier writes. “After 70mph, I’d have to compare the 2 for real. Intuition tells me that the fit accelerates slower, but I could be wrong.”

As far as range goes, Chalouhi says be prepared to see your mileage vary. On one trip Olivier left his home with 82 miles of range remaining and when he returned home, he had the same amount even though he had driven 10 miles.  On a separate occasion Olivier recalls starting the morning on a full battery with the dashboard reading 96 miles, but when he turned on climate control, it dropped to approximately 85 miles. “If you want to cruise on the highway at 75+ mph, then you should not hope to get more than 50-60 miles of range, with light climate control,” Chalouhi writes.

One very important thing Olivier mentioned on the forum, is that you get less regen when the battery is full. Chalouhi gave a thorough recollection of when he first noticed this. He writes, ” I went to work via El Camino Real this morning, 10 miles on a 35mph road, with light traffic, so I was going between 25 and 40 mph. I ended with more range than I started with (in eco mode, climate control off), and average mileage at 4.5 miles / KWH. This number would IMPROVE as I drive more on the same charge, as I’ve noticed that regen is limited based on battery state of charge.”

All of the findings mentioned above, occurred over the span of four days.

Chalouhi gives insight on some FAQs about the LEAF’s specifics:

Tracking miles: “The main problem though is tracking miles … honestly, I’m simply using the car, and it’s a little bit of a hassle to look at how much I’m driving.”   Chalouhi mentioned that he forgot to reset the counter on his LEAF one morning before leaving. As he result, he ran into the same issue he had with his electric bicycle…he forgot how many miles he had left.

Recharge timer: “When setting your recharge timer(s), you can set a charge limit. There might be a custom entry, but the 2 offered by default are : “100%” : maximize your range, or “80%” : maximize your battery life.” Olivier also says that you can assign days of the week to your times. For example, you can charge 80% Sunday through Thursday and opt for a charge of 100% on Fridays and Saturdays.

ECO mode: “…is way less fun than regular (actually ECO mode makes you feel you’re driving a regular car in terms of performance).”

Climate control: “If you turn on climate control while the vehicle is plugged, is seems that it turns itself off automatically as soon as you unplug the car.” Olivier states that remote climate control seems to work the same way whether you are plugged in or not.

Voice command/recognition: “…is not that great … it works, but the user flow is sometimes cumbersome.”

Bluetooth connection: “The bluetooth connection is great (music, phone, contacts) and works perfectly with the iPhone.”  Chalouhi states that being on the phone in the LEAF is ” the best communication experience you’ll experience.”

Although Chalouhi loves his LEAF and he’s glad he bought it, but he does not recommend the vehicle for individuals with a daily commute over 25 miles each way, this of course being at freeway speed. Chalouhi also said, “The way I drive, my LEAF knows I can’t make 100 miles,” so that is something to keep in mind as well. As Olivier and the other first LEAF owners continue to share their experiences with the vehicle, we will continue to share them with you.  Just the facts of course.

Source: MyNissanLeaf.com

Photo Credit: Nissan LEAF