Toyota and Honda Hold Back as the Rest of Japan’s Automakers Go Electric

The electric vehicle market in Japan is now burgeoning. Once the mainstay of small independents building low speed, short range Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs), major manufacturers including Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru are now hopping on the EV train in the hopes of raking in some greenie revenue.

With its U.S. launch mere weeks away, Nissan already has 6,000 orders in Japan and a further 20,000 in the United States for its lithium-ion powered Leaf EV. The automaker has so many orders, in fact, that they won’t be taking any more.

As you would expect, Nissan Chief Operating Office Toshiyuki Shiga is one happy man: "We believe this will be the beginning of the new era for the world's automobile industry, as well as a sustainable low-carbon society.”


The Leaf follows the 2009 launch of the Subaru plug-in electric Stella and Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV EVs. Heavyweights Toyota and Honda are also planning similar vehicles for 2012.
Shigeru Matsumura, an automotive analyst for Japan’s SMBC Friend Research Center believes that the high price of EVs and the lack of recharging infrastructure are the biggest hurdles to profitability the major automakers face. Lengthy recharge times and limited range are also an continuing issue for many consumers and automakers alike.
Toyota and Honda appear to agree, with both companies keeping their focus on hybrids and fuel cell vehicles until EVs have a greater presence on the market.
Matsumura, however, believes the market is unlikely to flourish unless Toyota and Honda get in on the party:

"Japan's big three all need to join to develop the market. This is the likely scenario which will bring down high EV prices and help EVs become more common.”
Toyota’s Executive Vice President Takeshi Uchiyamada, however, is standing his ground:
"EVs will spread first for short-range runs. We do not expect a fast spread of EVs."

The Nissan Leaf, which will be unleashed onto the U.S. market on the 11th of December, has an effective EPA fuel economy rating of 99 mpg and a range of 117 km. It will go head to head with GM’s locally produced Volt, which launches nine days later on the 20th of the month.

By Tristan Hankins

Via: The Japan Times

Nissan Leaf Debuts in Japan, Prices Start at 3mill Yen or $35k

With the 2011 Car of the Year Award secured, Nissan is rolling out the Leaf EV starting from Japan. The zero-emission electric hatch will go on sale in Japan on December 20th, followed shortly after by the U.S., while European customers will have to wait until later in 2011.
The base price in Japan has been set at 3,764,250 yen (US $45,000 at today’s exchange rates), with the consumption tax included. That’s a lot of money, but, fortunately for the Japanese, the EV is eligible for a 780,000-Yen government incentive, which brings down the cost to 2,984,250 yen or US $35,677.

It’s also fully exempt from the country's automobile acquisition tax and weight tax until fiscal year 2011. And that’s not all: as an EV that complies with the “Automobile Green Tax Scheme”, the Leaf’s automobile tax is reduced by 50% for a period of 12 months.
Nissan prepared a few convenient after-sales services as well. For a monthly rate of 1,500 yen (US $18), the company offers a “zero-emission support program”, which includes, among other things, maintenance, charging at Nissan dealers, discounts for Nissan rent-a-car services and emergency support.
Dealers can also provide a “one-stop service” simplifying the purchasing process and the preparation of a charging environment at the client’s residence.

Nissan says that, thanks to its 2,200-strong dealer network, there’s at least one quick-charge unit available within a 40-kilometer (25-mile) radius throughout the country. With a minimum range that’s at least four times that, the Leaf can be used as any other car, including for cross-country trips.
By Csaba Daradics

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Nissan Leaf Wins the 2011 European Car of the Year Award

While our readers favored the Alfa Romeo Giulietta in our poll, the jury of the 2011 European Car of the Year Award (COTY) announced that the Nissan Leaf is the winner, earning a total of 257 points. This is the first time in the 47-year history of the competition that the award goes to an electric vehicle.
“The jury acknowledged today that the Nissan LEAF is a breakthrough for electric cars. Nissan LEAF is the first EV that can match conventional cars in many respects”, said Håkan Matson, President of the Jury, Car of the Year.
The Giulietta came in second with 248 points, while the Opel/Vauxhall Meriva took the bronze, with 244 points.

Naturally, Nissan is happy with the result. The firm's CEO Carlos Ghosn commented: “This award recognizes the pioneering zero-emission Nissan LEAF as competitive to conventional cars in terms of safety, performance, spaciousness and handling. It also reflects Nissan's standing as an innovative and exciting brand with a clear vision of the future of transportation, which we call sustainable mobility. With three other electric vehicles in the pipeline from Nissan - and with the imminent market introduction of four additional electric vehicles from our Alliance partner Renault - Nissan LEAF represents a significant first step toward a zero-emission future”.

The Nissan Leaf is a plug-in EV, featuring an 80 kW (107 hp) AC electric motor that's fed by a Nissan-developed laminated lithium-ion battery. The EV accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 11.9 seconds and it has a driving range of 175 km (109 miles).
Deliveries in Japan and the U.S. start this December, while European customers will have to wait until early 2011. Base price in Europe is €30,000, but there are government incentives in several countries, ranging between €3,000-6,000. The U.S. government offers a $7,500 federal tax credit, which means that the U.S.-spec model starts from $25.280.
By Csaba Daradics

2011 COTY Final Standings

1. Nissan Leaf 257 points

2. Alfa Romeo Giulietta 248 points

3. Opel/Vauxhall Meriva 244 points

4. Ford C-MAX/Grand C-MAX 224 points

5. Citroën C3/DS3 175 points

6. Volvo S60/V60 145 points

7. Dacia Duster 132 points

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Paris Show: Nissan Townpod EV Concept May Hint at Future Cube

Although Nissan didn't mention the Cube in its press release on the new Townpod EV concept, it's not hard to make the connection between the two cars. However, the quirky looking sub-compact study, which made its world premiere today at the Paris Motor Show, makes use of the same zero-emission technology found within Nissan LEAF in a tall van-like body with suicide-style rear doors and split trunk doors.

Inside, the concept model features a colorful but Spartan interior. All controls for ancillaries such as climate control and media playback are accessed through two centrally mounted digital screens.

The monitor in the upper section of the dash serves as an instrument panel, displaying car speed, battery status and remaining range, while the lower touchscreen provides all controls for the audio and navigation system and also allows users to perform system checks on the whole car.

The Townpod also features what Nissan calls Pucks, which are rubber balls, roughly the size of a squash ball with a wide groove into them. The so-called 'Pucks' can accommodate drink holders, cell-phone rests, hand-bag hooks or other items and scattered around the interior.