Simon Kinderknecht, Planner - Electric Vehicle Marketing & Sales Strategy at Nissan Motor Corporation Murfreesboro, Tennessee discusses the Nissan Ariya and Leaf EVs along with the electric vehicle market and trends at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show.
Andy Palmer, Executive Vice President of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. expects Leaf sales to grow when the Smyrna, Tennessee plant starts making the electric vehicle helping to overcome the dollar-yen currency challenge. That was one of the reasons Palmer gave in explaining why last year's Leaf sales of 9,000 missed the projection of 25,000. Another factor was Japan's March 2011 earthquake and tsunami which impacted manufacturing. Learning how to mass produce batteries was another issue. With a $4 billion investment in developing the Leaf, the expectations are high.
The NV200 compact cargo van, Infiniti LE and a "city car" will be added to the Nissan EV line-up. Palmer said the Infiniti LE (Luxury Electric) has the underpinnings of a Leaf but taking the hatchback to a sedan was a challenge. The LE is expected to go on sale in 2014 as part of Nissan-Infinti's 51 launches in the next 5 years.
I spoke to Andy Palmer after he participated on the concluding panel - The Global Campaign for Consumer EV Adoption - at EVS26, the 4-day International Electric Vehicle Symposium that ended in Los Angeles Wednesday.
Nissan is ahead of its own schedule to reach its stated target of 20,000 reservations by the first U.S. Nissan LEAF delivery in December. Nissan kicks off the 23-city "Drive Electric Tour" October 1 in Los Angeles giving reservation holders and those interested in driving a Nissan LEAF a chance to experience all-electric driving firsthand. Nissan says no further reservations will be taken until next year and it's focusing on providing the best level of customer service and premium ownership experience to those who already have enrolled. A subsequent phase of reservations will begin next year, after current reservations and orders have been processed.
Nissan's luxury division, Infiniti, released a sketch of its first luxury electric vehicle, which is set to launch in the United States and other global markets in 2013.
The 2012 Infiniti M35h, which features Infiniti's Direct Response Hybrid technology, makes its North American debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. The M Hybrid is based on the Infiniti M sedan and promises V8 performance with 4-cylinder fuel economy from a 302-horsepower (est.) 3.5-liter V6 supported by a 50 kW (67 horsepower est.) electric motor. Dubbed "the driver's hybrid," the M35h will be able to be driven on electric power alone at speeds up to 50 miles per hour. The compact Lithium-ion battery pack design also allows use of a spacious passenger cabin and ample trunk capacity. The Infiniti M35h will be available at Infiniti retailers in the United States in spring 2011.
The Nissan Leaf battery electric car has been named Green Car Journal's 2010 Green Car Vision Award™ winner at The Washington Auto Show beating out the Coda electric sedan, Ford Focus BEV electric car, Mercedes-Benz F-Cell hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, and Toyota Prius PHV plug-in hybrid.
"Nissan's move to offer a stylish battery electric vehicle as part of its model line is significant," says Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal and editor of GreenCar.com. "This coming electric model will provide the features, the styling, and the driving experience that will meet the needs of a sophisticated and demanding market, while producing zero localized emissions and requiring no petroleum fuels."
The vehicle's cost does not exceed that of a comparable internal combustion model and the gas to run it.
"This kind of price parity is crucial to the success of any mass market advanced technology model," Cogan says.
To be considered for the Green Car Vision Award™, vehicles must be in their early stages of commercialization but not yet on sale, in small volume production with more than one functional prototype in existence, or operating as part of a demonstration fleet. A nominee may be an all-new model or an advanced adaptation of an existing model, such as a conversion to another type of power like electric drive.
The Leaf is scheduled to go on sale later this year.
