For those who live on the west side of Los Angeles, that magical test drive happened this past weekend at Santa Monica’s annual Alt Car Expo.

Nissan set up a large-scale test drive center for the expo that resembled an amusement park ride (minus the life-size cartoon characters). Those who have already reserved a Nissan Leaf were notified before the event and could register early for their spin around the block.

After registration, drivers were invited to wait in a general lobby area where you could meet and chat with other zero emissions enthusiasts as you waited for your chance to drive Nissan’s new green machine around the test track.

Even though I’ve already reserved a Leaf of my own, I decided to give up my spot and let others take a turn behind the wheel. I was able to test drive Nissan’s EV two months ago at Plug-In 2010 event in San Jose and wanted to let someone else get enjoy the exhilaration of electric power.

What astounded me about this particular display, however, was the sheer number of people there to experience electric drive. Everywhere you looked there were smiling faces and excited people.

There really is only one way to understand the beauty of electric drive…and that is by getting behind the wheel of a green machine. Nissan plans to offer 50,000 test drives across the country this fall and you can check tour dates and schedule a test drive of your own here.

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Shannon Arvizu, Ph.D., loves driving clean, green machines. You can read more at MissElectric.com

While plenty of crossover bill themselves as part sports car and part sport utility vehicle, Juke pulls off the claim better than most. The car’s profile is dominated by a rising beltline and sloping roofline that shout speed. Fenders flare out aggressively to highlight handsome 17-inch alloy wheels and rear door handles are hidden to suggest a coupe-like presence.

Under the hood is a brand new 1.6-liter turbocharged engine that pumps out a stirring 188-horsepower; enough to beat the Juke’s closest hatchback-on-steroids rival, the 181-horsepower Mini Countryman S. Fuel economy is excellent, too, with 27 miles per gallon city and 32 highway for front-wheel drive models with the CVT automatic transmission. A 6-speed manual transmission is also available (front-wheel drive models only) for those who prefer to select their own gears.

Nissan engineers are particularly proud of the Juke’s new torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system which can route power side-to-side on the rear axle to enhance cornering. It’s a high-tech feature that has until now been found only on high-end machines like the Acura RL and BMW X6.

The upscale technology doesn’t stop at the wheels, either. Juke comes with a Bluetooth hands-free phone system standard and offers navigation, rearview camera, USB/iPod interface, and keyless ignition as options. A new I-CON Integrated Control system allows drivers to toggle between Normal, Sport, and Eco drive modes, tailoring throttle response, steering feel, and automatic transmission shifting to the driver’s mood.

With such a bold design and sporty hardware, the Nissan Juke is not for the faint of heart. But this lunar buggy might be just the thing for fashionable urbanites who want utility and all-weather traction in a city-friendly size. We’ll take ours in red, please.

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2011 Nissan Juke Models and Pricing:

Juke “S” front-wheel drive, automatic transmission: $18,960

Juke “SV” front-wheel drive, manual transmission: $20,260

Juke “SV” front-wheel drive, automatic transmission: $20,760

Juke “SL” front-wheel drive, manual transmission: $22,550

Juke “SL” front-wheel drive, automatic transmission: $23,050

Juke “S” all-wheel drive, automatic transmission: $20,460

Juke “SV” all-wheel drive, automatic transmission: $22,260

Juke “SL” all-wheel drive, automatic transmission: $24,550

More details on equipment and trim levels can be found here at the Juke’s pre-launch website.

The Volt comes well-equipped with a standard navigation system, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, Bose premium audio, and 5 years of complimentary OnStar coverage. The only options will be chrome wheels, three premium paint colors, a rear park assist feature, and heated leather seats.

But how does the Volt stack up against the Nissan Leaf, its closest rival in the zero emissions race?

Nissan made waves earlier this year when they announced that the all-electric Leaf would be priced at $32,780. Factor in the $7,500 federal tax incentive and the effective price plummets to a very reasonable $25,280, which Nissan points out is comparable to a well-equipped Toyota Prius hybrid.

Compare the Leaf to the Volt, however, and you’ll find that the Chevy commands a stunning $7,500 price premium over the Nissan.

GM’s new vice president of US marketing, Joel Ewanick is quick to point out that the Volt has something the all-electric Nissan doesn’t: an onboard generator that runs on gasoline and that can keep the car moving for an additional 300 miles after the initial 40-mile all-electric range is depleted. ”No other automaker offers an electrically driven vehicle that can be your everyday driver, to take you wherever, whenever.”

And while the Leaf’s driving range of 70-120 miles may not make it as road-trip-worthy as the Volt, the Leaf is eligible for an additional $5,000 state tax incentive for California residents. This expands the Nissan’s price advantage to $12,500 in what is sure to be a critical sales market for electrically-driven cars.

Consumers will ultimately decide if range anxiety – their fear of running out of electricity before they can find a charging station – is worth the extra $7,500 to $12,500. As some EV enthusiasts have already pointed out, the price difference would cover a lot of rental cars for those times when 70-120 miles just isn’t enough.

If so, I have good news for you because automakers will soon be releasing next-gen technology that will transform the way we drive.

It’s part of a coming wave of new cars that will (finally!) offer options beyond the dinosaur internal combustion technology that’s been around for the past 100 years.

Like many new technologies, however, these future cars will only be available on a limited basis at first.  Field trials of the all-electric Mini E and hydrogen fuel cell Honda FCX Clarity, for example, were limited to Southern California and the New York metropolitan region last year.

These prototype test cars were leased to early adopters for a specified time and then returned to the manufacturers for continued analysis.  Ideally, these trials are intended to help Mini and Honda create even better production cars for the rest of us to enjoy.

Three new cars, the Nissan Leaf, the Chevy Volt, and the Ford Focus Electric, are slated for production in the next year. In addition to cutting-edge technology under the hood, these cars will feature advanced dashboard, navigation, and wireless communication technology that you will not find in standard gas-guzzling machines. They will also come with their own SmartPhone applications for maximizing energy use and minimizing charge costs. For example, this video gives you a taste of the Chevy Volt Wireless App.

How do you get a “car of the future”? This time it won’t be just Californians and New Yorkers who get to show off their new toys: early adopters in several other regions across the country can look forward to getting in on the electric drive action.

Those regions include:

- Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, TN (for the Nissan Leaf)

- Los Angeles, CA (for the Chevy Volt and Ford Focus Electric)

- San Jose and San Francisco, CA (for the Chevy Volt and Ford Focus Electric)

- San Diego, CA (for the Nissan Leaf)

- New York, NY (for the Ford Focus Electric)

- Austin, TX (for the Ford Focus Electric)

- Phoenix and Tucson, AZ (for the Nissan Leaf)

- Portland, Eugene, and Corvallis, OR (for the Nissan Leaf)

- Seattle, WA (for the Nissan Leaf)

- Detroit, MI (for the Ford Focus Electric)

Early adopters in these regions can expect significant city and state purchase incentives (in addition to the well-publicized $7,500 federal tax credit). In many regions, these folks can also qualify to get a free charger installed in their home for juicing their new electrically-driven wheels. Officials in these cities are working with manufacturers to establish a new public charging infrastructure, as well.

But what is it like to be an early adopter for these future cars? How does one join this energy evolution? In the next few weeks, I hope to interview some first-movers in the electric car field for our Honk readers. Stay tuned for an inside perspective from those who are on the front line of next-gen mobility…

Dr. Shannon Arvizu is a clean-tech strategist and educator. You can read more at MissElectric.com

Remember $4.00 per gallon gasoline?  Daimler CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsche made comments at the Beijing Auto Show that hint at high oil prices and much more in the near future:

“If you look at the population and the growth here [in China], you quickly reach the conclusion that it would be unthinkable to provide these people with traditional gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles. There just isn’t enough oil for that. So there has to be personal transportation that is not dependent on oil and is CO2-free to the greatest possible extent.”

Zetsche’s comment signals a new outlook from the maker of Mercedes-Benz luxury cars.  The CEO envisions a future in which the world is forced to find new sources of energy for personal transportation.  Daimler is clearly anticipating the approach of high oil prices – and potential oil shortages – as growth in China, India, and other emerging markets begins to strain global resources.

As Renault-Nissan CEO and fellow electric vehicle proponent, Carlos Ghosn said at the Tokyo Auto Salon a few months ago: “If all your transportation relies on one commodity, you’re in trouble.”

Though EVs run solely on electricity, the energy they need can come from a diverse range of sources like solar, wind, nuclear, coal, and natural gas.  Though it will take time to build additional power plants and a public charging infrastructure, Ghosn and Zetsche see a need for this kind of flexibility in an oil-strained future.

Daimler is currently producing about 1,000 electric vehicles for a real-world market test and is involved with Chinese automobile company, BYD, to design and build an electric vehicle tailored specifically for the Chinese market.  Nissan intends to launch their first mass-market electric vehicle, the Leaf, later this year.  Its French partner, Renault will launch an all-electric sedan called Fluence in 2011.

Other manufacturers are ramping up their EV efforts, as well.  Chevrolet is due to launch their extended-range electric vehicle, the Volt, in a few short months.  And as we reported here a few weeks ago, BMW recently announced a new manufacturing plant in Washington State that will produce lightweight body panels for their own upcoming “megacity” electric vehicle in 2013.

Assuming that Dr. Zetsche’s bold prediction for the future is correct, how high would fuel prices have to rise to get you to switch from a gasoline- or diesel-powered car to an electric vehicle?

Not wanting to be left out, I decided to reserve my very own 2011 Nissan Leaf.  And while I’m not totally sure it’s a car I want to buy in December, I wanted to “feel” what it would be like to *maybe* get one.  I was a little (very little) excited to get the email inviting me to drop $99 and my name for a place in line to buy one.   The invite was was supposed to arrive between 1pm-6pm eastern.  My email didn’t arrive until 5:30pm est, so I must have been on the bottom of the barrel, dirt bag list. Maybe they do a lottery again for who gets to buy and when.  Good old back of the line.  The email looked like this…  oooooh, I have a place in history.

I clicked on “Reserve Now” to see what was on the next page.  Nissan asked me a bunch of irrelevant survey questions, then presented me with a form to fill out.  I entered my name, ID, password, address, etc.  Next came the the “qualifying questions” :

Pick a Color – Ummmm, silver.

How Far Do I Drive? Well we know this is a qualifier.   Better say it’s 50 or less or I won’t make the cut.  I drive 20 miles so it’s the truth

What Type of Driving? Okay, keep it mild or they won’t let me go nuts on the car.   I’m a short commuter.

Where will the car be parked? This is a big qualifier.  I better say my own garage (which is true) so I can get my own charging station.  I bet this one places where on the order list you go.  Shouldn’t they ask “what type of set up will you have in December 2010?”  The car delivery is a ways off, so why not ask what people will have.

Qualified   We’re a good fit. While the questions were pretty intuitive, it’s good that they made sure their early adopters had the right set up and expectations going in.  Okay, now I have to fork over $99.  I can get my cash back any time.

Ahhh…. my official confirmation number (I changed it in photoshop) .  We are now standing in line for our Leaf….  Now, I don’t get the vehicle for 7 months+.  I’m not even sure I really want it by then.  Seems to me the Chevy Volt is much more up my alley.  Frankly, it’s far better looking and I have comfort in knowing that GM has a longer standing history in electric vehicle (EV) technology.  To me, the Leaf is homely and not very cool.  After a few years, I may just be the fool who’s driving around in a tin electric tin can with junk range, while all my friends are whizzing by in Teslas and Fiskers.  Hmmm….  My wife and I will decide what to do as launch gets closer, but for now, I’m happy to be in line.  I need to go to Chevroletvoltage.com and see if I can reserve one those bad boys.

]]> http://blog.honk.com/2011-nissan-leaf-reserved/feed/ 0 http://blog.honk.com/new-york-auto-show-photos/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-york-auto-show-photos http://blog.honk.com/new-york-auto-show-photos/#comments Mon, 12 Apr 2010 23:21:19 +0000 Stephanie http://blog.honk.com/?p=1105 I was fortunate enough to attend the New York Auto Show last week.

I love attending Auto Shows…not just because of the shiny new cars, but because you can really see people get excited about designs, features, and how it feels to sit in a certain vehicle.

Although the New York Auto Show is smaller than the Detroit International Auto Show (NAIAS), there was much to see.

2010 New York International Auto Show

Here are some of my thoughts as I walked through the show:

1) Ford Focus: I have seen this vehicle many times before, but every time I see it in person, I am amazed at how beautiful it is.

Ford Focus

2) Ford Transit: It is cool to me that a commercial-type vehicle like the Ford Transit is the 2010 Truck of the Year, and I wonder if we will see any families adopt this vehicle as an unconventional way to drive their family around?I think it would be fun to drive one, just to be different.

Ford Transit

3) Ford Taurus: For a sedan, I was blown away by the enormous trunk.

Ford Taurus trunk is huge!

4) Volvo XC90: I think this is a sharp vehicle and hope more vehicles will bring back the SUV “Tailgate”. It is such a classic and classy look.

Volvo XC90 Tailgate

5) Chevy Aveo: Smart gets a lot of attention, but there are a lot of other low priced options.

Chevrolet Aveo

6) Chevy Volt: Wow! I think GM did a great job with this design and it’s such an exciting direction for them.

Chevy Volt Side View

Chevy Volt Hatchback

Chevy Volt See-Through Rear

7) Chevrolet Corvette: It was fun to watch the crowds swarm the Corvette. People were taking turns sitting inside while their friends and family look photos and told them how great they looked. Little kids flock to this vehicle too. So much energy!

Corvette crowd at NY Auto Show

8 ) Cadillac: The Caddies definitely were definitely flaunting the grills… and New Yorkers were loving them.

Cadillac luxury grill

Cadillac tough grill

9) Acura ZDX: I think the Acura ZDX is beautiful, especially from the rear…and it reminds me a bit of my dream car, the BMW X6. After sitting inside, I learned that it was difficult to get in and out of the backseats.

Acura ZDX Rear

Acura ZDX Rear Headroom

10) MINI: MINI is still so cool and fun…and people get so emotional when they see them.  I loved their display and I think people do think of MINI’s as their little pets. I liked their cardboard box idea too…so clever.

"Please do not feed the MINI"

11) VW Routan: There were lots of families looking at the Routan, including these 2 cute kids. I wonder if it will be a contender?

VW Routan Minivan

VW Routan Cute Kids in Seatbelts

12) Nissan Leaf: I hope Nissan’s Electric Vehicle, the Leaf, does change the world !

Nissan Leaf Electric Vehicle

Nissan Leaf Rear Design

13) Hyundai: Kudos to Hyundai’s designers. The vehicles are looking good and are reflective of what US and European customers are buying today.

Hyundai Sonata front view

Hyundai Sonata side view

Hyundai Sonata rear view

Hyundai Genesis Coupe

14) Land Rover: How can you not love this vehicle?

Beautiful Range Rover

15) BMW: The new 5-Series is slammin! I am a big fan of the Gran Turismo package too.

BMW 5-Series

Hope you enjoyed the photos. Would love to hear your thoughts/comments or see your photos, which are undoubtedly better than mine.

Automakers were dealt a tough blow this week by the Environmental Protection Agency in a ruling that decided that only the first 200,000 electric or fuel cell vehicles produced by each automaker will qualify for official “zero emissions” credit under new fuel economy rules.

Manufacturers have been tasked by the government to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of their fleets by 30% to 250 grams of carbon dioxide per mile by 2016 (equivalent to 35.5 miles per gallon).  Electric and fuel cell vehicles, which produce no direct carbon dioxide emissions, were being counted on in some cases to improve the average and compensate for gas guzzlers elsewhere in the fleet.

“Right now, it’s pretty clear that the credit is needed for these vehicles,” a senior government official admitted to Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Under the new rule, any EVs produced after the cap would be held accountable for a share of the smokestack carbon dioxide created when power plants generate electricity.

David Friedman of the Union of Concerned Scientists explained, “Their tailpipes may have zero emissions, but you have to get the electricity from somewhere so they are not truly zero emissions.”

Automakers disagree, arguing that the new rule would be like accounting for the emissions created by the oil industry for conventional gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles.

Gloria Bergquist, a spokesperson for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, noted, “There is no precedent for holding companies responsible for the CO₂ generated by electric utilities.”  She argued to USA Today, “It’s unfair to base our compliance on what is entirely outside our control.”

Jim Kliesh of the Union of Concerned Scientists explained, “The issue is really [that] we want a true accounting of emissions.”  Ignoring the carbon dioxide associated with electric vehicle, “would be poor public policy,” he said.

But as the bankruptcies of GM and Chrysler demonstrated last year, the auto industry is on very shaky ground as it recovers from a severe collapse in sales and is being forced by global regulations to research and develop new fuel-saving technologies.

In other words: profits are down just as costs are skyrocketing.

And for an industry that requires enormous economies of scale to survive, Bergquist argues that 200k units over five years is unreasonable.  Nissan plans to produce 150,000 electric vehicles globally in 2012 alone, with a significant portion of those units slated for the US.

In some respects, the government recognizes the strategic need for oil-free alternatives.  President Obama has called for one million electric vehicles by 2015 and there are numerous state and federal tax incentives available to encourage sales.

But capping the CAFE benefit of electric vehicles at 200,000 units reduces a major incentive for manufacturers, who may now choose to invest their R&D dollars in other technologies.  The late-breaking decision also sends mixed messages to a slow-moving industry that needs stable regulations and plenty of time to research, design, and retool to meet them.

Is this new rule short-changing electric vehicles and automakers or is it a fair move to account for carbon emissions created elsewhere on the grid?

It’s a small world, after all.

Renault and Nissan today announced that they are expanding their alliance to include Daimler AG, maker of Mercedes-Benz automobiles.

At the press conference in Brussels, Carlos Ghosn of Renault-Nissan and Dieter Zetsche of Daimler explained that they will partner on a new small-car platform that will be used as the basis for the next-generation Renault Twingo and Smart cars, including an all-new four-seat Smart model.  The companies will also share gasoline, diesel, and electric powertrains.

To solidify the new three-way alliance, the companies will each take a stake in each other.  Daimler will buy 3.1% of both Nissan and Renault and the Franco-Japanese alliance will in turn buy a combined 3.1% share in Daimler.

The alliance is the latest move following a turbulent year in which Saab and Volvo were sold for pennies on the dollar and Pontiac and Saturn were closed permanently.  2009 saw Renault’s first annual loss in 13 years.  Daimler, too, had a tough time with net losses of 2.6 billion euros.

Automakers today face rapidly escalating costs from new safety, emissions, and fuel economy regulations.  To compete profitably, they require massive economies of scale.  “The name of the game is to be present everywhere,” Nissan’s CEO explained, “so we are going to move for more and more consolidation.”

On it’s own, Daimler would be unable to generate the economies of scale needed to sell small cars at a profit.  Likewise, the Infiniti luxury division of Nissan lacks the economies of scale needed to equip their luxury cars with fuel-efficient diesel engines in Europe.  Through the alliance, each partner will have access to the platforms and engines it needs to survive in an industry where costs are rising rapidly.

The difficulty, of course, will be in creating products that stay true to each brand’s unique character.  Will customers warm to the idea of a humble Renault engine under the hood of a luxurious Mercedes?  Will diesel-powered Infiniti vehicles steal sales from their German partners?

The three companies claim to have studied these possibilities and intend to use separate technology packages to maintain their unique personalities.  “Each brand has its own identity and its own kind of products and its own cost and price level,” Renault boss Carlos Ghosn said. “We need to keep each brand very different from the others.”

Juergen Pieper, an analyst with Metzler Equities in Frankfurt said that the risk to Mercedes is “practically zero,” reminding that ultra-luxury brand, Bentley, is owned by Volkswagen and still has no trouble commanding prices above $200,000 per vehicle.  The alliance, he noted, will be, “really touching only small cars and this is not a sensitive part of the group.”

Helmut Becker, an economist with the IWK think tank in Germany added, “there is no mixing-up in the product lineup, and [parts sharing] will happen under the hood.”

Renault and Nissan have been in a successful alliance for the past eleven years, though they generally don’t compete in the same market spaces.  It remains to be seen, however, if the addition of Daimler will create tension.

For the time being, at least, Ghosn is predictably bullish.  “Do not be surprised if we continue to add scale.”

What’s big and white and innovative all over?  That would be Nissan’s new NV series of commercial vans.

These beasts of burden may not be as sexy as Nissan’s other products but they do tell a great story about how listening to customers can help an automaker design a better product.

Extensive customer research is very common for retail vehicles, where fierce competition requires frequent product updates every two or so years.  In the world of commercial vehicles, however, there’s very little competition and vehicles can stay on the market largely unchanged for over a decade at a time.

Nissan discovered that commercial van owners were, “among the least-satisfied owners of any segment in the industry,” according to Joe Castelli, the company’s vice president for commercial vehicles.  Sensing the opportunity to shake up a stagnant segment, Nissan formed a team to research and bring in as much customer feedback as possible.

The team interviewed customers at their homes and at their work sites, allowing the respondents to point out what they loved and hated about their current vehicles.  They found that even common sense features, like sufficient lighting in the cargo area and doors that could stay open in windy conditions, were often missing.

Nissan claims that by listening to their potential customers, they were able to pack the NV series full of fresh innovations:

• To improve cabin space and reduce noise, Nissan gave the NV a long hood (like a pickup truck) so that the engine could be moved forward and completely outside the cabin
• To address complaints that loading cargo is difficult when hunched over, the NV has an optional “high roof” that can allow people up to 6 feet 2 inches to walk through the vehicle without ducking
• To prevent the seat fabric from wearing prematurely, the upholstery in the NV has double-reinforced seams that are mounted in a lower, more secure position.  The fabric for those seats also has a water-resistant coating so that spilled liquids bead away rather than creating stains
• To prevent rust and make it less expensive to install cargo racks in the back, the NV comes with pre-drilled anchor holes and a wiring harness that makes it easier for aftermarket upfitters to install their equipment and modifications
• To address complaints that cargo doors do not open wide enough, Nissan fitted a sliding door on the side and special hinges that allow the rear doors to open to a class-leading 243-degrees.  Special magnets keep those rear doors from slamming shut when the wind blows
• To improve the “mobile office” aspect of a commercial van, the NV offers a Bluetooth hands-free phone system for speaking with customers, a navigation system for getting to new job sites, power outlets for charging phones and power tools, and a center console with enough space to hang full-size files.

Nissan went another step further than is typical in the industry and actually allowed customers and aftermarket upfitters to comment on prototype parts.  The extra customer feedback helped engineers fine-tune the design of certain components and it helped ensure that the van would be easy to upfit once it went on sale.

The innovations in the NV series are very clever and that’s largely because Nissan listened to what customers wanted.  This is a product whose thoughtful features will be appreciated by owners and whose presence will increase competition in an otherwise quiet segment.  Customer feedback turned the NV series into much more than just another box on wheels.