New Nissan Leaf is cheaper, runs further on single charge

Nissan unveiled the newest model of its Leaf electric vehicle in Tokyo on Tuesday. The new model increases the car's range to 148 miles, while dropping prices by $6,000. Nissan hasn't announced overseas plans for the vehicle, but similar upgrades are expected.

The upgraded Nissan Motor Co. Leaf electric car can travel further without recharging, comes in a cheaper model and tells drivers how much battery life is left.

The changes in the revamped model, shown Tuesday at a Tokyo hotel, were based on feedback from owners whose chief worry was running out of electric juice while driving, Nissan officials said.

Electric cars emit no pollution, but they need to be recharged. Owners have charging equipment installed at home. But the scarcity of recharging stations on the roads has limited electric vehicles use to short commutes and kept zero-emission cars confined to a market niche.

The new model can travel 228 kilometers (142 miles) on a single charge, up from 200 kilometers (124 miles) as long as you don't use air conditioning, because of improvements such as streamlining the battery system and the vehicle's lighter weight, according to Nissan.

It sells for less than 2.5 million yen ($31,000) in Japan when stripped of fancy options and adding government green subsidies - more affordable than the cheapest previous model at just below 3 million yen ($37,000).

Nissan did not detail overseas sales plans but said similar upgrades were in the works.

The Leaf is the world's most popular electric vehicle, comprising more than half of all electric car sales. Leaf global sales since late 2010 total 43,000 vehicles, about half of them in Japan.

More than 17,000 Leaf cars have been sold in the U.S. and monthly sales are recently at about 1,500 vehicles, according to Nissan.

Senior Vice President Masaaki Nishizawa told reporters the Leaf does away with the hassles of going to gas stations and allows drivers a cleaner conscience.

"People who try out the Leaf are moved," he said. "But they are worried about cruise range."

When the Leaf first went on sale, recharging facilities were at 200 Nissan dealerships in Japan. That will grow to 700 Nissan dealers later this year, or 1,200 locations, when including other spots such as convenience stores.

Among other changes to the Leaf:
- Roomier luggage space after the recharging mechanism became smaller and was moved to the front.
- A dashboard display that tells how much battery charge is left.
- A navigation system that calculates the best energy-saving route to your destination.
- A smaller lighter recharging nozzle.
- Reduction of rare-earth use by 40 percent for the electric motor.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/new-nissan-leaf-cheaper-range-article-1.1205116#ixzz2Cnagdov5

Nissan LEAF gets badged for police duty in Portugal

Portugal's Policia de Segurance Publica (that'll be PSP from here on out) has putt he world's first Nissan LEAF police car fleet on the streets.  The eight-car fleet will help PSP in it's goal to reduce it's carbon footprint.

'We pride ourselves in being the first police force in the world to incorporate cars with zero-emission technology as part of our 5,000 vehicle fleet,' Superintendent Paul Gomez Valente, National Director of PSP, said in a statement.  'We want to continue contributing to the reduction in pollution in large urban centers and the introduction of the 100% electric Nissan LEAF sets a new benchmark for our fleet.'

While entitles of all kinds are interested in cutting their environmental impact (or at least enjoying the cost savings of doing so), the Nissan LEAF seems like an odd choice for a police vehicle.  Criminals on the run need only hit speeds of more than 90-mph or distances of around 100-miles, and they'd be free.

 That's probably why the PSP, which itself is focused on patrolling urban environments, will concentrate the use of the new LEAF's in it's Safe School Program. 

According to Nissan's Press Release, they do mention that the cars have flashing lights, sirens, and  clear Policia markings, so they can be called on for any other task.  As Nissan points out, the LEAF's quiet electric motor could even provide the benefit of catching criminals off guard.

Source:  C.C. Weiss, GiZMag.com

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

Image via Wikipedia

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.