2012 LEAF: Sloppy Seconds?

As my regular readers know, I'm usually trying to put a positive spin on a number of things, but every so often, I feel the need to get nasty and I think with the constant delay with respect to ordering of the 2012 Nissan LEAF, I can't help but ponder a bit the changes between this model year car and the previous one.

I've already reported that the price difference between the 2011 and 2012 model years is $1,490 for the base SV trim and $1,900 for the base SL trim and I stand by that.  Any site which exaggerates this price difference is likely to get a comment from me seeking to rectify the situation since I'm all about the truth.

After all, you're getting a complimentary Cold Weather Package with that cost increase, and the TEPCO plug on the SL trim, so a lot of the cost is just those options or alternate Trim levels carried over from the previous model year as standard.  Then again, how useful is the Cold Weather Trim in Florida?

But what else is new in the 2012 LEAF?  Did they add the 6.6kW charger?  No, not even as an option!  Have they made improvements to the batteries or the charge capacity?  No.  Have they improved the Software?  Yes, but 2011 drivers are getting that update for free.  Have they improved the motor or the aerodynamic?  Have they added a new audio or driving comfort option?  No, apart from what's already included in the Cold Weather Package.  The Cold Weather Package isn't even exclusive to the 2012 LEAF: it was an available trim level for the 2011 LEAF late in the model year.

So what do you get for your $1,490 - $1,900 in new model year premiums?  Nothing!  You don't get anything for this cost increase.  If you're in the original Tier 2 states of AL, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC and VA:

• not only was your ordering window delayed by 7 months and now 4 more days

• not only were you kept in the dark about Nissan's plans for Tier 2

• not only were you forced to listen to Nissan rant and rave about how great a car the LEAF is even though you couldn't (easily) buy it

• not only were you still denied the long sought after 6.6kW charging option that the Ford Focus Electric is beating the LEAF's ass on

• not only were you denied the color Green, a natural for a car called LEAF

• not only were you given the same set of Port Options / Accessories as 2011

Not only all of that, but you're also going to have to pay about 5% more for it.

Thanks a lot, Nissan!

Originally, I was all in favor of those of us in Tier 2 getting first pick of the brand-spanking-new 2012 model year under the assumption that it would be an improvement, even if just a slight improvement, over the 2011 as a reward for braking their commitment and forcing us to wait an extra half-year to order the car we've been pining for since at least 20 April 2010.  Now I say, bring me the Smyrna 2013!

What options are available on the 2012 LEAF?

With the first orders of the 2012 LEAF it comes time to update the price list for the 2012 model year now available.  My friend Bruce Kim at Herb Gordon Nissan of Silver Spring, MD (who I can't more highly recommend as a preferred dealership) has been kind enough to send me the official price list for the new model year car.  The long and short of it is there's not been much change to the Port Options / Accessories list and they've confirmed that the 6.6kW charger is still a pipe dream that won't see the light of day until the 2013 model year.  The main take away apart from the already released price is the official cost of the "Zero Emissions" Graphic which I failed to mark in the 2011 edition; I've added it here. I don't have invoice costs yet but as I don't know of any Below MSRP dealerships in the Tier 2 rollout region yet but will update this chart when it becomes available.

Any number in italics is speculative based on last year's value.  Also note that it is my understanding that there is no more money for the ETEC Grant from the Department of Energy and since the CHADeMO port is already included in the price of the trim level.

Nissan LEAF Trim Levels

Code	Description	List Price / MSRP	Invoice	2011 List Price	2011 Invoice	Comments
17112	SV	$35,200	$33,707	$32,780	$31,394	Includes $930 Cold Weather Trim; $1,490 net cost increase
17212	SL	$37,250	$35,668	$33,720	$32,293	Includes $700 Fast Charge Port and $930 Cold Weather Trim; $1,900 net cost increase

As stated above, there are no factory-installed options for the 2012 model year LEAF.

Nissan LEAF Port-Installed Options / Accessories

Code	Description	List Price / MSRP	Invoice	SV Trim?	SL Trim?	Comments
L92	Floor Mats & Cargo Mat Area	$170	$131	Yes	Yes
B92	Splash Guards	$140	$110	Yes	Yes
M94	Recycling / Organizational Package	$225	$178	Yes	Yes
M92	Cargo Cover	$290	$219	Yes	Free
M93	Cargo Net	$20	$15	Yes	Yes	Not available with M94 Recycling / Organizational Package
N92	Hologram Kick Plates	$125	$99	Yes	Yes	Not available with B93 Eco Design Package
B93	Eco Design Package	$260	$219	Yes	Yes	Not available with B95 "Zero Emissions" Graphic or N92 Hologram Kick Plates
B94	Protection Package	$225	$183	Yes	Yes	Includes front and rear bumper clear protectors
S92	Safety Kit	$75	$63	Yes	Yes	Includes First Aid Kit and Emergency Kit
B95	"Zero Emissions" Graphic	$130	$105	Yes	Yes	Not available with B93 Eco Design Package

Now there are also options that can be installed at the Dealership that would likely have the highest markup and profit margin if charged, such as Alloy Wheel Locks — though, as I pointer out there are some dealerships where that's a complimentary upgrade and shouldn't count against the unexpected options pledge.  I would also like to point out that we customers shouldn't blame our poor dealerships for the $1,490 - $1,900 price increase over the 2011 model year.  It's unlikely that the difference extends from a jacking up over invoice since the Invoice to MSRP margin is usually very small.  That said, it's possible that Nissan North America may have agreed to this to compensate dealerships for the expense of installing EVSEs on their lots, though the more likely explanation is a weak dollar and a strong Yen.  In fact, what we can see from Edmunds is that the invoice price gap is even greater, with a $2,313 price increase for the SV and a $3,395 increase for the SL.  However, this is comparing apples to oranges because the 2011 Invoice doesn't include the Cold Weather Trim or the Quick Charge Port — in fact, we still don't know what the invoice cost was on the Cold Weather Trim option for the 2011 LEAF was.  What we can say for sure is the net profit above MSRP is now $1,493 for the SV and $1,582 for the SL trim or about 4.24%, same as last year.  This means the net profit margin for the dealers has increased, but only slightly since the 2011 model.  This supports the idea that the increase is due mainly to the weak dollar and a strong yen.

Nissan LEAF Colors

Code	Name	Example
QX1	Glacial Pearl
RAT	Blue Ocean
K23	Brilliant Silver
KH3	Super Black
NAH	Cayenne Red

Same colors as last year; still no green LEAFs.

Personally, I think it most likely that the set of options and trim I'll be picking tomorrow on this car still lacking a 6.6kW charger will be the SL trim with all port options and in Red (as we still lack Green).  Then again, $39,455 (with Destination charge, before tax) is a butt-load of money to pay for a car, even with a $7,500 tax credit.  It was one thing when there wasn't this new $1,900 premium on the 2012 model SL over the 2011, but now it just seems the cost is ridiculous.  Will I order it tomorrow?  Stay tuned!

Come see the LEAF in my home town!

Come see the LEAF in my home town of West Hartford, CT this weekend!  I'll be there Saturday at 14:00 for my drive time if y'all wanna stop by and say hi.

The LEAF Electric Drive Tour will be opened from tomorrow, Friday 22 July at 9am and closes its doors for Boston on Sunday 24 July at 6pm. The event will be held at the Westfarms Mall, on the border between West Hartford and Farmington, CT:

Westfarms

500 Westfarms Mall

Farmington, CT 06032

You can sign up for your drive time at the official Drive Electric Tour website.

Curious who has the most reservations in the Wave 2 and Wave 3 markets?  Well, here in Wave 2 D.C., we have 130 active reservations, and Long Island, New York in Wave 3 127!  Can you guess who has the least reservations pending?  Find it on the Drive Electric Facebook page!  Just mouse over a tour city and a tool-tip will pop up with the number of reservations that location now has.

So come on, take a drive into the future New England!  If you can't make West Hartford, CT, it's coming to Boston next week and Wave 3 will be opening for orders sooner than you think!

I hope to see you there!

Nay Sayers! Eat This! Order You LEAF Next week!

Yes, Chris at Criswell comes through and here's the proof.  I just received the following e-mail from Nissan:

Hi redacted, thanks for reserving and patiently waiting to order your 100% electric Nissan LEAF™. We're very excited to let you know you'll be able to order your new 2012 Nissan LEAF next week.

So what is new for the 2012 Nissan LEAF? We have taken feedback directly from our customers by making the most popular optional equipment on the 2011 model standard equipment on the 2012.

This equipment includes a battery heater for cold-weather operation, heated outside mirrors, heated front steering wheel, heated front and rear seats and rear HVAC duct. The Quick Charge Port is also added as standard equipment on the Nissan LEAF SL model.

The 2012 Nissan LEAF is available starting at $369 a month/36-month lease ($2,599 initial payment – excludes tax, title and license)*.

We'll send you an e-mail when it's time to work with a dealer to pick your car's color, review options and get a quote.

For more information available to Nissan LEAF reservation holders, please click here.

Now, although the MSRP for the 2012 LEAF isn't quoted in this e-mail, it can be found in the official press release from this morning: $35,200 for the base SV trim level and $37,250 for the base SL.  The lease is still pretty low but since I drive a lot more than the 15K mile terms of the lease per year, it really won't easily work for me.  Also, I'm really pretty desperate to get the 6.6kW charger for the J1772 port which still isn't scheduled to be in the car until the 2013 model year when the car's manufactured at the new Smyrna plant.

I also received this posting from one of my blog readers which I have edited to take out his or her personal information

I have reservation number redacted reserved on 4/20/2010. As of Saturday 16 July I have not had word one from Nissan on ordering since 12/19/2010. I haven't even had a Leaf News since 3/29/2011. My profile states my reservation is complete, but all other options have been disabled. So no I do not believe all 2 areas will be allowed to order. In fact, I doubt they let the rest of the country order until the 2013's start rolling off the TN plant.

I am very happy to report you as incorrect on the first point.  And, for those waiting for the cold weather package, here it is.  For those in the Eye-Poked Eight states of AL, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, as well as the newly added Tier 2 states of IL and MS, your time has finally come!  So call your dealer and verify the price now because if you don't like the price you're offered when your dashboard opens you'll have to wait 24 hours to renegotiate and order again!

And what about the rest of the U.S.?  Well, after Tier 2, or Wave 2 as it's now called, we have the following from that press release:

Nissan will expand into additional new markets as the year continues. In the fall, orders from existing reservations and new reservations will begin in Connecticut, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. By the end of the year, Delaware, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island will be added as markets where the Nissan LEAF will be available for order.

In other words, Wave 3 will include CT, CO, MA, NH, NJ and NY, bringing the total number of states including the District of Columbia up to 22 23.  Then Wave 4 begins with DE, IN, LA, NE, OH, PA and RI, bring us to 30 31 of 51!  Finally, the remaining 21 20 states will be able to order for the final tier, Wave 5.

So congratulations Tier 2!  Here's to making the Right Coast the Environmental Coast!

Dear Nissan (An Opened Letter)

As a reporter for the Affordable Electric Car NOW! website, I strive for accuracy, fairness and reasonable information and analysis.  If you see my site, you can see that the clear majority of what I have to say is about the Nissan LEAF.  I broke a number of stories about the LEAF and LEAF news specific to the Tier 2 ordering region (AL, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SD, VA), including how the region was kicked back from last December ordering to Late Summer 2011 the day before the first scheduled delivery.  But not all I've written is adverse to Nissan's image.  Indeed, just yesterday it gave me tremendous pleasure to brake the news publicly that I, as well as many other Tier 2 reservation holders, may finally be seeing the light at the end of the long, dark tunnel. I, personally, have been waiting long and hard for our day to come and I must admit I still find it hard to believe it may finally be coming true. But now the story is out: we get to order in July!

But here's the problem: I got this news while speaking to the dealership who is in contact with the Nissan North America regional representative.  This is big news!  Why am I the one breaking it?  Why aren't you?  This is the kind of thing that's remiss in your eNewsletter.

It always seems you're so happy to tout success in AZ, CA, HI, OR, TN, TX and WA but never a peep about Tier 2, never mind the forgotten 36.  The first LEAF ever delivered in those forgotten 36 states was actually won by an Oklahoman in the Drive Electric tour!  This is news because right now, those folks have no idea when they can even order their cars.  And new reservations were only opened up to the original 7 states?  Again, this smacks of total apathy for your potential customers across the rest of the United States and Canada.

And what about the Cold Weather Package Trim now becoming available?  This is huge news, yet I have to read about it on Twitter from @EVNow and on the My Nissan LEAF forum instead of in your eNewsletter?  I've very happy that you've announced it at $930 MSRP above the corresponding SV, SL or SL+ETEC Trim, but I for one would like to know the invoice on these 3 new trim levels.

One thing that's missing, which I am trying to correct through my Meet Your Dealership series is putting the customer back in contact with his or her local dealer.  It's the dealers that have the best information as is, and they're the ones we make the deal with when our dashboards open.  This I think is another flaw in the ordering process.  I like the reduced haggling, don't get me wrong, and am glad that so far the LEAF hasn't been jacked up like the Chevy Volt was in its early release.  I like that Nissan North America is co-ordinating this, but don't put such a wall between we customers and our preferred dealer.  I'm trying to reach out, why aren't you?

And need I mention 6.6kW charging?  What's the deal with that?  Last I heard you were pushing it back to Smyrna going on line with the 2013 LEAF?  I'm seriously tempted to postpone my order until the 6.6kW option becomes available and I can find out the price.  Do you have any new information?  Is there any way I can convince you how important this is to me?  All that I know about it is what I learned in the online chat, not through the eNewsletter.

I really like the folks in the online chat, that I must say.  They're always very kind and helpful.  I do miss the e-mail transcript feature, though!  What happened with that?  It was great that I could quote chat log (the highest level representative I could get to speak to my news service) to at least get some answers when we Tier 2 folks were so wounded.

And my EVSE, I did it completely without you.  While you dragged your feet and let the 2010 Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit expire, I got something done about it.  Even now, I don't think any Tier 2 people have heard from AeroVironment, never mind ECOtality.  Heck, ECOtality's been AWOL since they announced they added the metropolitan Washington, D.C. region to their project area.  Not a peep from them or you, that's why I did it myself.

In summary, more transparency and regional customization is required.  We Tier 2 can only take so much of how great it is living in Hawaii with your LEAF or Celebrities in CA chillin with their LEAF or even our neighbor to the West, Tennessee and their great LEAF adventures.  That's what's most missing in your eNewsletter: information about the features we keep asking for and the progress in our local delivery market.  Stuff to reassure us, to make us feel wanted as a customer, and not excluded as a reject not good enough for the cool kids.

And 6.6kW charging... come on, let's punch that Focus Electric in the no-trunk-space butt!

---

Portions of this letter appeared in my submission to the Nissan LEAF survey of 2 June 2011.

July 2011 Nissan LEAF Orders

Yes, it is I, the intrepid Tier 2, most vocal LEAF enthusiast on the East Coast with a piece of wonderful news about the July 2011 Nissan LEAF Orders.  You may ask why I'm talking about July when it's only June.  Well, that's true, I've jumped the gun again.  And look through the My Nissan LEAF archives, didn't I wax poetic in a similarly in the December Orders thread?  And what happened: the entire East Coast went from December Orders to Late Summer 2011 Orders.  Am I jinxing it now?  I darn well hope I'm not.

But folks, this time I have it on good authority.  I spoke to Chris, a sales rep at the ever friendly at Criswell last week and he had some wonderful news for me that I'm sure all Tier 2 long sufferers are dying to hear: Late Summer is only 6 weeks away (or there abouts)!

Criswell, I just want to say, is one of the most LEAF friendly dealership in the Metro D.C. Area (no, I don't work for them).  Indeed, they were one of the few (only) Chevrolet dealerships in the country to provide an MSRP guarantee on the Chevy Volt; given all the stories of gauging we've heard on that car, this says a lot.  And it's no different with the LEAF: MSRP.

But here's what I have from Chris who has it from the Nissan Regional Sales Rep: July Ordering!

This bears repeating: July Ordering for Tier 2!

Yes, that means we may finally be getting to order in as little as 6 weeks!  Certainly any time from 4 to 8 weeks from now!

As for delivery, with the 4-7 month window, Chris and I agree the best case scenario would be November 2011 delivery but the worst case is something I've heard indirectly from Passport Nissan of Alexandria: that delivery may be as late as February or even March 2012.  Both dates would be in keeping with the 4-7 month window currently suggested from Nissan.

So get your orders ready Tier 2 folks!  Our time has come!

Help me win Lance Armstrong's Bike…

…by voting for my video on the Drive Electric Tour site!

Thank You.

Also, if you see by CBox to the right, you'll notice that HankHillNeedsALeaf also has an excellent video.  I voted for him and I hope you did too but if you didn't, I'm afraid now it's too late and I'm very sorry to say the most deserving HankHillNeedsALeaf did not get one.  Perhaps it's just as well though, because I personally believe he'd go down to Strickland Propane and mount a tank in his trunk and put in a generator that runs on Propane using Propane Accessories to power his LEAF.

Seriously, though, well done HankHillNeedsALeaf and I hope you'll consider casting a vote for me too so that at least I can win that sweet ride designed by Lance Armstrong and beat out that woman who was just complaining about having to drive from New York to test drive a LEAF.  Personally, I think it was a gross under sight of the Drive Electric Tour planning not to have a stop in Chicago, Pittsburg, New York and Boston for our MyNissanLeaf buddy Mitch and we shouldn't punish those in D.C. for being lucky enough to be on the Tour Schedule, especially when we as well as all of the South East were pushed back eight months to only a handful of months before the rest of the country for the opportunity to just order the car.  Secondly, although I didn't blog about it, I was truly heartbroken when I, in Virginia, couldn't get in the Mini-E lease program.  I have, for the last two years, been very jealous of the New Yorkers and New Jerseyites that we able to get that most wonderful car.  So this time, let a Virginian win the LEAF! Or at least a Marylander, D.C. resident, Pennsylvanian, Illinoisan or another one of my fellow Tier 2 states.  Thanks again and I look forward to your vote!

When it Rains, it Pours!

Come on, Virginia, it's now your turn to Test Drive a Nissan LEAF at Brown's Sterling Nissan

No sooner do I hear from Herb Gordon Nissan than the wonderful folks at Brown's Sterling Nissan send me a kind note that has me all a twitter!  Yes, now there will be a LEAF test drive in Virginia as well as the official one at the National Harbor and the drive at Herb Gorgon Nissan, you can now get behind the wheel in Sterling, Virginia, in Loudoun County, just off Pacific Blvd.  I cannot thank enough both Aaron, Brown's General Manager, and Dmitry, their Internet sales specialist for being leaders in Northern Virginia among the Nissan LEAF Tier 2, Atlantic Coast, rollout.  And I couldn't have said it better than Dmitry, so I'll let him take over from here:

Nissan Leaf available for test-drive no 03/16/2011

Great News!!!!

We are pleased to announce that we will have Nissan Leaf for customers review and test-drive on Wendsday 16th of March from 9am-6pm, here at Browns Sterling Nissan.
Our address is: 45155 Towlern Place, Sterling, VA, 20186
Phone Number (703)948-1100

As you may already heard Nissan Leaf is 100% electric, no-gas vehicle. It is projected the most affordable electric compact size automobile.
Designed to work specially with a lithium-ion battery-powered chassis, the Nissan LEAF comes as a medium-size hatchback which is able to seat five adults comfortably. The power train lacks a tail pipe found in its internal-combustion engine (ICE) equipped vehicles, resulting in zero emissions of all manner of greenhouse gases. The Nissan LEAF’s regenerative braking system will work well with its innovative lithium-ion battery packs to provide a driving range of over 160km on a single charge.

For any additional information about the vehicle, please click on the link below: http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car/index?next=header.vlp.postcard.picture.thumbnail.#/leaf-electric-car/tags/show/360

Now, if the name of full discretion, I should point out that Brown's Sterling Nissan is my preferred dealer at the moment, so I am biased toward them.  That said, they are legitimately the second dealership to inform me of this opportunity at this moment so I feel it only right that they receive all the proper recognition due!

One question remains: will there be other dealerships offering test drives in the Washington, D.C. area in the week leading up to the National Harbor event?  I would speculate no, that these will be the only 2.  My reasoning is simple: on Sunday, the Drive Electric tour leaves the Concord Mills event in Charlotte, NC, and it'll probably take a day to get everything up here to the D.C. area, which rules out Monday.  On Thursday, they'll be setting up for the National Mall event on Friday so they'll need the cars then too.  And after the event, the Drive Electric heads over to Nissan North America Headquarters in Nashville, TN and there'll be no more time to see the vehicle until perhaps deliveries begin in December, 2011.  Of course, I could be wrong and let's hope so on both counts!

Is Ford headed in the right track?

Ford's Impressive Sustainability Strategy

In Andrew Winston's piece, linked above, he argues that Ford may be too late to the EV game and wonders if the automaker has the commitment to see its lofty goals through.  I, for one, wish Ford all the best in this venture, as I do General Motors with the Chevrolet Volt, and look forward to seeing where Ford takes its Focus Electric and Plug-In Hybrids, Transit Connect Electric and C-Max Energi lines.  But for me, it's more a question if whether Nissan is too little, too late.

Clearly, I've been blogging a lot recently about the Focus Electric here — and am due to post my CES report someday — but I once wrote a pro and con evaluation of the Focus Electric on the MyNissanLEAF forum where I said I'd pay as much as $3,000 for the 6.6kW charger — again, search my blog and my posts on the MyNissanLEAF forum to see how much I gripe about the LEAF not having a 6.6kW or 7.2kW charger and also the missing Cold Weather Package trim — but man, the trunk space is a joke!  I don't mind too much in a commuter car, as my future-EV is so designated, but it makes Costco runs almost impossible since the back seat is typically already filled when I take the Avalon.  And I know folks in the semi-conductor industry that do not have positive impressions of what Ford is attempting, especially with respect to BMS (Battery Management System).

Would I get a Focus EV?

Well, if Nissan keeps pushing back the LEAF roll-out in the Washington, D.C. region, and the Focus Electric is supposed to go on sale here at the end of the year for the 2012 model, then heck, yeah, I'll consider it.  You can only poke us Tier 2 states in the eye so much.  If I had the money, I'd get a Tesla Model S 300-mi edition, but IMHO it's gonna sell for $77,000 and that's well too much to swallow!  So I'm still in the LEAF camp but keeping my options opened.  In 2010 we had only 1 choice: the 40 mi-on-EV PHEV Chevrolet Volt.  This year, we may have as many as 4 choices, including the recently available for leasing Smart Electric.  Maybe even more if the Plug-in Prius makes its debut in the 2012 series as planned.  Perhaps the Coda or BYD may finally get their acts together (but don't get me started on those Chinese cars), or any number of surprises that may come our way in 2011.

We live in interesting times, my friends.  Interesting times.

Come See the Ford Focus EV at the Los Vegas CES!

From the Ford Electric Vehicles Facebook Page:

On Friday at 11 AM PST, CEO Alan Mulally will have big news from the 2011 International CES in Las Vegas. We'll broadcast his keynote address on a Livestream tab on this page and have exclusive technology news every hour leading up to his address.

Although I've not mentioned it much before now, I'm very excited about the Ford Focus with an Electric-only Drive Train.  The more electric vehicles we have to choose from, the better we are off as consumers.  Ford has yet to announce the MSRP on the Focus EV, but rumor has it around $40,000, though this early in the game that could easily change.  Currently, the Focus EV is projected for model year 2012 release at the earliest, so initial sales could come as soon as a year from now.

I've been closely following the developments of the Focus EV and other affordable electric car alternatives that I hope to bring you in the coming months.  More so since I learned I'd have to wait 8 more months just to order another Electric Vehicle I've been considering.  Given this, the Ford Focus EV is one of the few EVs I believe to have a good chance to become the first generally available (in North America), affordable EVs!

Can I take a Cold Cabin?

The short answer is yes.  Ever since I've been looking into Electric Vehicles (EVs), I have been trying to do things counter-intuitive for a standard Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) to make me more comfortable for the switch to an EV.  Today I tried Cold Cabin Driving.  Cold Cabin driving is based on the idea that heating the entire cabin of an EV is very energy expensive.  For instance, the Nissan LEAF is said to have only 62 miles of range (100 km) at 14℉ / -10℃ outside temperature in stop-and-go traffic at 15 mph / 24 kmph:

Winter, urban stop-and-go, traffic jam: 62 miles

Speed: Average 15 mph
Temperature: 14 degrees
Climate control: On
Though the average speed is only 15 mph with stop-and-go traffic, the 14-degree temperature means the heater is doing a lot of work so you spend considerable time and energy heating your car rather than moving forward. Despite these conditions, it would still take more than 4 hours to run out of charge!

The reason for this abysmal drop in range is not specific to the LEAF and indeed is a common problem of all EVs.  In an EV, the engine does not generate much heat — it works by the more powerful force of Electromagnetism — so it can't take advantage of engine heat generated through the inefficiency of an ICE to otherwise efficiently heat the cabin.  Instead, an EV must use some form of active heating to generate the desired cabin climate, such as the heating coil and radiator used in the Nissan LEAF.  The operative point here is with climate control on.  However, one could conceivable drive with reduced (in the LEAF's ECO mode) or no climate control at all to achieve greater ranges under those conditions; driving using this technique is an example of hypermiling.

Hypermiling is the process of driving in such a way as to get the most bang for your buck, the most distance for a fixed amount of fuel.  It is possible to hypermile a standard ICE vehicle, an EV or a hybrid, however the techniques differ slightly for each one.  In the case of cabin heat, the ICE is using small explosions of fuel to drive the car forward, thus producing wasted energy through the heat dissipated by the reaction.  Thus, in an ICE, using the heater is actually more fuel efficient because normally the air used to cool the engine is just sent outside the vehicle to be lost.  By filtering it and sending it instead into the cabin, you're actually making use of heat energy that would otherwise be wasted.

Contrarily in an EV, it's expensive to heat a cabin.  In fact, it's a lot easier to just heat the driver through heated seats and steering wheel and a thermal blanket.  This is because heating via conduction through the seats and steering wheel is more efficient than heating by radiation from the atmosphere.  And the thermal blanket helps by keeping that extra heat in.

Now my current ICE doesn't have a heated steering wheel or thermal blanket, but it does have heated seats.  So I hopped in my car, turned the cooler down low and flipped on the heated seats to see how I fared during my commute.  I then repeated it this morning for an even colder test run.  And my verdict?  Bring on the LEAF!

But, I should point out one caveat: the Cold Weather Trims are so far not being offered on the 2011 LEAF.  The Cold Weather Trim is handy because it adds the Heated Seats and Steering Wheel and Thermal Blanket to the LEAF, which is required to fulfill the use-case specified in this experiment.  It is my sincere hope that, having to wait an extra 8 months for my car, when my appointed hour miraculously does arrive, I'll be allow to ordering the Cold Weather Trim for my very own Nissan LEAF.

Nissan LEAF Tier 2 Ordering Information

I just got off an hour-long chat with the eminently helpful Patrick at Nissan North America's on-line chat.  There not much new here but it helps to have the questions asked even if they can't yet be answered.  Truth be known, Patrick really wasn't able to answer any of the hard questions because he's quite low in the Nissan Totem Poll.  I would be thrilled to ask these same questions in a 1:1 with Mark Perry, Nissan's director of product planning and strategy, but this blog isn't big enough to get that kind of access, I'm afraid.  (At least not yet…)  None the less, I did find the interview informative and I include here a transcript for your own edification.  In summary, the LEAF is expected to go into general release by the end of 2011 in the U.S. and 2012 across the world, including Canada.  I couldn't get any answer for the delay in Tier 2 ordering, nor how many new reservations would be accepted once they open up again, though they will be universally opened.  Patrick could not even confirm the Fall / Winter 2011 ordering schedule for the Forgotten 36, though the 2011 deadline would seem to indicate this schedule is still in effect.  No news on 2012 model availability or changes or whether the Cold Weather Trim would be added or a 6.6kW charger option made available.  All in all, it doesn't leave us with many answers, but that's all I've got access to so take it for what it's worth:

Jeffrey:

Thank you Patrick, so then I as I have not informed you of this intention until now, please consider everything we say from this point forward to be on the record. Just to confirm, the Tier 2 states of AL, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, and VA will be allowed to order a Nissan LEAF beginning late summer 2011, is that correct.

Patrick:

As I stated before we are advising the customer that it will be the summer of 2011. At this time we do not have a specific date.

Jeffrey:

And the model that will be available for order in summer of 2011, will that be the 2011 model year LEAF or the 2012 model year?

Patrick:

I do not have that information at this time Jeffrey.

Jeffrey:

Thank you Patrick. I appreciate your candor. Now, as for the remaining 36 states which have not been given a chance to order, are they still scheduled for Fall / Winter 2011? What about Canada?

Patrick:

At this time we do not know how the delay in the Tier 2 states will affect the ordering in the other 36 states. We are anticipating availability for all 50 states by the end of 2011 but this could change. As for a Canadian release, We are at this time still expecting a global release by 2012.

Jeffrey:

Thank you, Patrick. I appreciate you're researching this information for me. Now, as far as the Tier 2 orders, are they likely to see a normal production turn-around of 1-3 months, or the current expected turn-around of 4-7 months?

Patrick:

We are still going to be advising an anticipated turn around time of 4 - 7 months, with 4 months being the best case scenario and 7 months being the worst case scenario. Of course the turn around time could change once the plant in Smyrna Tennessee comes on line in 2012.

Jeffrey:

Do you have a more precise time frame for the Smyrna plant coming on line? Will it be early 2012? Fourth Quarter?

Patrick:

Even if i did have an project time table for the plant to go on line it could change do to unforeseeable factors, such as weather, union strikes, etc.

Jeffrey:

Thank you again for your forthrightness, Patrick. Now, as I understand it, the District of Columbia is one of the EV Project selected cities. And yet, with the Tier 2 pushed back to summer 2011, it seems that even if Ecotality can set up the EVSE infrastructure in the region, Nissan won't have any cars available until at least, perhaps, December 2011. Is this correct?

Patrick:

I can not confirm that. A late summer order date of July would have some cars on the road in November.

Jeffrey:

I see. And as the earliest cars would likely be at best November, isn't that about the start of a new Model year?

Patrick:

I did not say that that would be the earliest Jeffrey, I was merely pointing out that it was possible to get vehicles on the road in Washington DC before the December 2011 date that you speculated on.

Jeffrey:

I see. But would you agree that there would be no cars SOLD in Tier 2 in July, August, September or October 2011, correct? Possibly in November, December or January 2011 but not any of the earlier months?

Patrick:

I cant say that either Jeffrey. Since i do not have a specific date in the summer of 2011, and June is in the summer, then there is a possibility of an October delivery date to that area. I will say that August does likely seem not possible.

Jeffrey:

Thank you, Patrick! I greatly appreciate you clarifying the issue. My point was therefore that if October, November December or January 2012 (sorry for the typo before) was the first month LEAFs would be delivered in Tier 2, wouldn't that normally imply a 2012 model year release?

Patrick:

Dependent upon your order month, your vehicle could be a model year 2012.

Jeffrey:

Thank you Patrick. That makes sense. So, if we are to assume the Tier 2 group are to be ordering 2012 model year vehicles, is the 2012 model year going to include the Cold Weather Trim?

Patrick:

At this time we do not have information on the availability of the cold weather package. If it is to be determined by market demand, we do know that the demand is there.

Jeffrey:

Thank you. And is the same true for the current 2011 model year?

Patrick:

At this time the release date for the cold weather package will be announced in the future.

Jeffrey:

Thank you. What about the 6.6kW on-board charger? How about and even larger charger?

Patrick:

At this time we have not released any information in a larger charger to be included in the vehicle.

Jeffrey:

I see. And is it possible this may be added in the 2012 model year?

Patrick:

I can not speculate on the specifications of a 2012 model year.

Jeffrey:

So you don't know anything about potential changes for the 2012 model year?

Patrick:

That is correct Jeffrey.

Jeffrey:

Thank you, Patrick. Now, do you know when the new reservation window will open?

Patrick:

We do not have a date for the new reservations to open.

Jeffrey:

I seem to recall Spring 2011, is that correct?

Patrick:

We have been advising customers that want to make a new reservation that the reservations will open sometime next year as we do not have a specific date for them to open.

Jeffrey:

Thank you Patrick. And do you know who will be allowed to reserve at that time? Will it only be opened to the Tier 1 and Tier 1a states (AZ, CA, HI, OR, TN, TX, WA) or will everyone be allowed to reserve?

Patrick:

As with our reservations this time, anyone will be allowed to reserve. The availability may be different for individual states.

Jeffrey:

Thank you, Patrick! And how many new reservations will be taken before they are closed again, or will they be closed?

Patrick:

I do not have that information Jeffrey.

Jeffrey:

Thank you for looking into this, Patrick. So what has the turn-around been up to now in the current Tier 1 and Tier 1a states? What percentage of reservations have been turned into orders among those that have been offered a dealer quote?

Patrick:

I would not have that information available with out looking at all the reservation and compiling that information.

Jeffrey:

I see. Has that been published anywhere? Is the information publicly available as an official turn-over ratio?

Patrick:

I do not believe that the information has been publicly released at this time Jeffrey.

Jeffrey:

Thank you Patrick. And just to confirm, once the new reservation window opens, Nissan has no plans to close it based on any specific criteria, right?

Patrick:

I do not know that Jeffrey. We have not ye released the limits (if there are to be any) on the second round of reservations.

Jeffrey:

Thank you very kindly, Patrick. You have been very patient and forthcoming with me and I really appreciate that. Just a couple more questions from me, if that's alright, but these are going to be the hard ones.

Jeffrey:

Why was Tier 2 moved from December 2010 ordering to late Summer 2011?

Patrick:

Nissan is working hard to bring each customer the best possible product. Vehicle availability adjustments can be expected during new vehicle launch.

Jeffrey:

Do you know the reason for this specific change?

Patrick:

I do not have specific information available Jeffrey.

Jeffrey:

Do you know what, if anything, needs to change in Tier 2 to make it viable for the Nissan LEAF? Reservations in Florida don't require the cold-weather package and some residents in D.C. will qualify for the EV Project. Many states in the region offer EV incentives, such as Virginia's no Personal Property Tax on EVs or Georgia's $5000 rebate program. Power Utilities such as Dominion have either made changes necessary for the EV economy in North Carolina or are in the process of making them in Virginia. What more is needed from Tier 2, either politically or in terms of capital investment?

Patrick:

Each state is different and i would not be able to make a comment on that with out doing extensive research in to the readiness of each state's EV infrastructure.

Jeffrey:

Well, let's take Virginia, then. How is the Commonwealth of Virginia deficient?

Patrick:

I do not know the state of their EV readiness. As i said before with out doing research on that state any statement that i would make would be pure speculation.

Jeffrey:

I see. Now, as for the Cold Weather spec, isn't that supposed to be available on cars sold in Japan starting in April 2011? Surely the Japanese market has a need for this feature -- it gets quite cold during the Japanese winter. And if their time frame for release is April 2011, why isn't this feature also being offered on cars sold in the U.S. that also expect April delivery?

Patrick:

I can not comment on want is available for the Japanese market, as I only have information about the US marketed LEAFs.

Jeffrey:

I understand. And is the Oppama plant running to its expect quota at the moment? Has there been a slowdown in production below original estimates?

Patrick:

I do not have that information Jeffery.

Jeffrey:

So you don't know of any production issues at this time, right Patrick?

Patrick:

That is correct Jeffrey.

Jeffrey:

Thank you Patrick! That is all the questions I have at this time. You have been truly outstanding and I greatly appreciate your patience in answering all of my questions!

Patrick:

Do you have any questions about anything that we have discussed today Jeffrey?

Jeffrey:

No, Patrick. As I said, you have been outstanding and answered all of my questions and I appreciate being given the opportunity to share your helpful answers to the Affordable Electric Car NOW community.

Patrick:

Please feel free to visit our website often for updates about the Nissan LEAF, and encourage your friends to contact us with their questions. To help us improve our service, would you mind taking a brief survey? If you would like to do so, please click on the Exit Chat button below. Thank you again for contacting Nissan Electric Vehicle Customer Support

Jeffrey:

Please have a wonderful day, sir!

Visitor Jeffrey has ended the chat.

Nah, No LEAF for You!

At least not until late Summer 2011 according to Nissan.  In an email sent out to all Tier 2 reservations, Nissan announced that they would have to wait an additional 6 to 8 months before they would be able to order their cars.  Tier 2, according to Nissan, consists of the southern states along the Atlantic coast: specifically Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and the District of Columbia.  Before this announcement, those states were supposed to be eligible to order the LEAF in December 2010.  However, 10 days into the month, the LEAF registrants received the following letter:

Hi xxxx, thank you for reserving your Nissan LEAF™. The response to this 100% electric car has been amazing.

Customers in your state will not be able to order until late summer 2011. In the meantime, we are working hard with our partners to further develop the charging infrastructure in your area so your entire ownership experience is of the highest quality.

If you have any other questions, please contact us through our Nissan LEAF live chat or by calling 877-NO-GAS-EV.

Upon receiving this letter, attempts were made to contact Nissan's friendly on-line chat service but they had apparently gone home for the weekend before the message was sent out.  The news comes on the heals of the feel-good story of the first Nissan LEAF delivery to occur this Saturday, 11 December in Redwood City, CA to a hero among his peers, an individual who goes by the handle Gudy on the My Nissan LEAF forums.  The cynical among us might therefore assume the timing this email corresponds with both hiding from customer repercussions as well as burying it under a very positive alternate story, namely the first LEAF delivery.

It's not clear at this time what reasons Nissan might have for the delay in the East Coast order schedule.  One possibility is to allow for the development of the Cold Weather Trim, but this doesn't make sense for places like Florida, where the weather rarely goes below 50.  Another possibility lies the company Nissan has contracted to do its installations for the Level-2 EVSE (Electric Vehicle Service Equipment) which can be used to charge the LEAF in up to 8 hours.  It is clear that no-one in the Tier 2 market has even been contacted by Aerovironment to schedule an assessment of the cost for installation of the EVSE which is a typical contingency for people ordering the LEAF.  However, many individuals in the Tier 2 market have already contacted Nissan requesting a waiver of the need for the assessment and installation of the Aerovironment equipment based on stories that earlier LEAF orders have told about inflated pricing.

However, the most likely answer seems to be over-estimates of demand and product availability as well as getting their dealerships LEAF Certified.  With the Yen currently trading at under 84¥ per $1 US, the cost to manufacture and import the LEAF into the US may be leading to negative profit margins on the vehicle.  This could be an indication that some of the initial LEAF production quota is being diverted to new markets, such as México as announced in a resent LEAF announcement on Twitter..  Clearly the capital, Ciudad de México, is a perfect place for the LEAF with its temperate climate, terrible emissions problems and robust middle class.  Another possibility is simply that manufacturing the LEAF is turning out to be more difficult and defect-prone than originally estimated and therefor Nissan has been forced to reduce the 2010 / 2011 production quotas.  As for the dealerships, at last check, of the 43 stores within 100 miles of me, 13 have yet to be LEAF Certified, including the rather large area chains of Pohanka and Darcars.  To become certified, the dealership must send people for LEAF training in Tennessee as well as install up to $50,000 in service equipment — an investment that is discounted under the EVSE Tax Credit by 50% up to twice that investment, but only until 31 December 2010.  Until we learn more, it seems probable that it be a combination of these factors which led to the decision.

One question still unanswered is if the $7,500 EV tax credit will be available if the late ordering window pushes back delivery into 2012, when the credit is set to expire.  Section 1141 of the American Investment and Recovery Act does not specify an expiration date for this credit but the new congress may see fit to add one.

Whatever the reason for the delay, one thing is clear: the Tier 2 ordering market will be followed closely by what is loosely called the forgotten 36 — a list of the states that are not in the first 2 ordering tiers for the Nissan LEAF.  And because a late summer order means, with a 4-7 month delivery window, as was quoted in recent correspondence from Nissan to people in the Tier 1 and Tier 1a markets (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Washington), this would put both the Tier 2 and the forgotten 36 orders firmly in the LEAF 2012 model year.  What improvements may be added based on the first year of usage from people like Gudy receiving his car tomorrow may in the end leave those left hanging more fortunate for having waited.