According to Nissan, a car with a gas engine and an average fuel efficiency of 8.0 litres/100 km will cost about $1,760 in gas a year (assuming a gas price of $1.10/litre and driving 20,000 km a year). To travel the same distance in the Leaf will cost approximately $320 a year (with electricity at $0.11 kWh).
The Leaf seats five. The front seats are manually adjustable – the driver’s seat moves six ways while the passenger seat moves four ways. The 60/40 rear seats fold down for extra flexibility, too.
Inside, it’s funky and futuristic; the cabin and trunk space roomy. There’s a push-button start and a tiny drive selector to change gears. It has five shift positions – park, which is activated by pressing the P button on top of the shift lever; shift over and back to drive, shift over and up to reverse. There’s also neutral and ECO, which consumes less power and helps extend the vehicle range. Digital gauges display the speedometer, battery temperature, capacity level and distance to empty clearly.
The 2012 Nissan Leaf comes in two trims – a base model SV that costs $38,395 and a top SL trim that costs $39,995. Customers in Ontario and Quebec are eligible for a provincial government rebate of $8,500 and $8,000, respectively.
My SL tester is loaded-to-the-nines with a heated steering wheel, heated front and rear seats, fog lights, a navigation system, a reverse backup camera, power windows, power doors and an intelligent key system that opens the door as soon as you touch the handle. It also has a solar cell panel that provides a supplementary charge to the 12-volt battery, which supplies power to the audio system, windshield wipers, and lights.
Safety features include ABS, brake assist, electronic brake force distribution, vehicle dynamic control, traction control and several airbags including roof-mounted curtain side impact bags.
The Leaf is expensive, but it’s driving change on the automotive and environmental front. It’s an impressive ride, but just stick to quick trips close to home to ease any range anxiety.
pgentile@globeandmail.com
Tech specs
2012 Nissan Leaf
Type: Four-door, five-passenger mid-size hatchback
Price: $38,395 (SV); $39,995 (SL)
Engine: 80 kW AC synchronous electric motor plus 24 kWh lithium-ion battery and 3.3 kW onboard charger
Horsepower/torque: 107 hp/207 lb-ft
Transmission: CVT
Fuel economy (litres/100 km): Zero
Alternatives: Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Chevrolet Volt, Toyota Prius, Honda CR-Z hybrid, Ford Fusion hybrid
