A New Leaf

I bought a 2008 Nissan Maxima this past May and as a result, I'm on Nissan's mailing and email list. I thought it was nice that they sent me an email today telling me of a brand new car of theirs that may give the Hybrid car a run for it's money... but still won't impress George Jetson or Mr. Spacely. We were all supposed to be in flying cars by now, or so I thought in 1969-:)

The electric Nissan Leaf will be introduced in the U.S., Europe, and Japan late next year, according to what Nissan company officials said Sunday at a ceremony that marked both the debut of the car and the opening of their new headquarters in Yokohama, South of Tokyo.

Nissan, Japan's third-biggest car maker by sales volume, will roll out the zero-emission car at a time when rivals are also increasing efforts to offer environmentally friendly models, as emission regulations become stricter and oil prices are rallying.

Nissan's domestic competitors, Toyota Motor Corporation (No. 1) and Honda Motor Company (No. 2), released updated gasoline-electric hybrids earlier this year--Toyota's revamped Prius and Honda's redesigned Insight. Both are scrambling to meet the demand. (This shows you what I know... I thought Honda was an American Company all this time. Doesn't it sound American and Macho? Honda! (Okay, I'm trippin' and going off subject, I know.)

Nissan's electric car could compete with the Prius, the Insight, and other hybrids... but, Mr. Ghosn (Nissan Chairman) maintains that because electric vehicles emit no exhaust, they are distinct from hybrids and conventional vehicles. Nissan said it plans to offer the Leaf at an affordable price, though it hasn't disclosed what that price will be yet.

Nissan's commitment to electric cars, an initiative it first detailed in June, significantly increases the industry's stakes in developing an economically viable battery-powered vehicle. General Motors Company and Chrysler Group LLC are also developing their own versions. (Good, they'd better start making cars that are not only "Green" but, cars that people actually want to drive, if they are to be competitive.

In June, Nissan was granted $1.6 billion in loans by the U.S. Department of Energy and said it plans to use the funds to build the capacity to make more than 100,000 electric cars a year at its plant in Smyrna, TN by 2013.

Mr. Ghosen said that Nissan also continues to improve internal-combustion engines to use in hybrids and diesel-engine vehicles. Further, he said that electric cars are likely to account for just 10% of overall global vehicles by 2020, which means the rest will remain powered by conventional engines.

This is all good news to the American consumer and to enviromental activists... but, I see some people in Saudi, Arabia shaking in their robes and turbans right about now. Don't you? Good!