By Derek Mau

We received an invitation to take quick spin in Nissan’s new zero-emission electric vehicle (EV), the Nissan Leaf. Want to know what it Nissan is doing towards moving us away from fossil-fuel burning cars? Read on and I’ll fill you in on some of the details.

Nissan is ready to introduce one of the first 100% electric vehicles produced by a major carmaker in late 2010. The Nissan Leaf is a sub-compact, 5 passenger car that is driven solely by an electric motor powered by a Lithium-ion battery stack. The electric motor cranks out 80kW and 280 Nm of torque. The stack of Li-ion batteries, comprised of 48 modules, has a capacity of 24kW and produces over 90kW of power. For comparison purposes, the gas and electric motors of the 2010 Prius have a combined power output of 100kW (134 hp).

Cruising range for this serenely quiet EV is approximately 100 miles on a single charge and has a top speed of 90 mph. A depleted battery takes about 8 hours to recharge on a 220V home-charging unit. Much less if you can recharge at a super-recharging station or top off a partially discharged battery.

We guesstimate the market price will be in the neighborhood of a nicely appointed Prius after you receive a US government energy tax credit (up to $7500). Eco-warriors watching their pennies may be consoled by the prospect of fewer trips to the gas pump and no additional hydrocarbons added to the environment from the tailpipe the Leaf. If you look closely, the Leaf does not have an exhaust pipe.

Living the green lifestyle isn’t cheap and neither is the technology. A major part of the cost inherent in EV cars is going to be the Lithium-ion batteries. Developing the Li-ion batteries for automotive purposes has its own challenges and the science behind getting these batteries to run cooler, last longer, and produce enough power to move 1 1/2 tons of glass and steel is a major achievement.

The test mule we drove was a modified Versa chassis that was built on top of the Leaf’s EV drivetrain. The Li-ion batteries are stored under the floor of the car for a couple of good reasons.

1) Location of the batteries allows for maximum passenger and cargo capacity
2) Better weight distribution under the floorpan distributes the weight more evenly
3) Lower center of gravity
4) More neutral handling

Drives Like a Car, Shifts Like a Car, Stops Like a Car

Even though our ride was super short and could have been timed with a stopwatch, we didn’t bring our G-Tech meter to measure the Leaf’s performance. According to Nissan, unofficial 0-60 mph is approximately 9 seconds and can reach its top speed of 90 mph in the 14 second range. Basically, the accelerator response of the Leaf is very similar to a compact car with a normally aspirated 4-cylinder internal combustion engine (ICE). Off-the-line performance, as judged by my butt-meter, is really good considering vehicle weight is in the neighborhood of 2,500 – 3,000 pounds. The Lithium-ion battery stack accounts for 500 pounds of the Leaf’s curb weight.

Turn-in response was a little on the heavy side, but having the batteries under the floorpan helped keep the nose out of the cones. Zipping through the slalom section of the course was done without drama and minimal body lean. Dashing from stoplight to stoplight could be fun because response from the accelerator pedal was almost instantaneous. There was no lag or delay that you get with an ICE or turbocharged car.

If you are concerned about safety, the Leaf is bound by the same safety regulations as a regular car. Expect the final production car to have a complete arsenal of safety devices such as air bags, ABS, crumple-zones to absorb impact, etc. The Nissan Versa and Sentra have “good” safety ratings from IIHS with regards to impact test results, so Nissan engineers know how to build safety into a car — EV or otherwise.

One of the few things that differentiate the Leaf from any other car power by an ICE is the eerie quietness. About the only thing I heard is the hum of the electric motor, a little bit of wind noise when in motion, and the Nissan engineer filling my head with car techno-rabble.

Nissan Leaf Concept Car (click thumbnail image to enlarge)

It’s All About the Apps

Nissan’s goal is to make the transition as seamless as possible when moving from a fossil-fuel burning car to an EV. The Leaf may drive and feel like any other regular car on the road today, but EVs require a different set of rules when it comes to its care and feeding. Hence, Nissan is working on a plan which keeps the owner connected and in constant communication with the car and power grid using a smartphone. Remote EV support via cellular networks includes monitoring the car’s charging functions, remote control for AC and charging system, and constant communication between the car and a global data center. Onboard EV support for the car comes in the form of automatic updates and a dynamic list of available charging stations near your location. Just think of it as a sophisticated app for your iPhone.

You may not need a connecting cable to plug-in the Leaf into a charging station. Experiments on non-contact electric vehicle charging are taking place in Japan whereby electric power is supplied via magnetic induction from a primary power supply coil in the ground to a secondary coil on the vehicle. When the primary coil is electrically charged, it generates a magnetic field that induces current in the secondary coil and charges the batteries with no physical connection. This is very similar to charging an electric toothbrush or charging an electronic device using the Powermat.

We realize that the Nissan Leaf may not be the right vehicle for everyone, but we do applaud the fact that Nissan and its partners are working towards providing an environmentally responsible alternative to fossil-fuel burning vehicles. This includes working with the utility companies to build a smart-grid that can handle a large number of EVs recharging throughout the day and night, formulating a plan for recycling Li-ion batteries, and developing new technologies that incorporate an EV into our lifestyles seamlessly. We seriously think that the Leaf warrants further investigation if having a quiet, short-range passenger vehicle fits your lifestyle. Currently the Nissan Leaf is on a 22 city nationwide tour. Check the website to find out if they will be stopping in your area.

Nissan Leaf Concept Photo Gallery	Nissan Leaf Zero Emission Tour
The official site for Nissan cars, trucks, SUVs, crossovers and hybrids – www.nissanusa.com