Nissan's LEAF EV first will be available to consumers in December, in California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Tennessee. These areas are home to The EV Project-the largest electric vehicle and infrastructure deployment yet undertaken. The EV Project is a result of a partnership with charging infrastructure provider ECOtality and partially funded by a grant from the US Department of Energy.
Customers in these first five launch states, who represent more than 55% of total Nissan LEAF reservations (currently approximately 17,000), will be able to place firm orders for the Nissan LEAF starting in August.
Nissan LEAF will be introduced to Texas and Hawaii shortly thereafter, in January 2011; North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina and Alabama follow in April 2011; and be rolled-out to the balance of the nation beginning in Fall 2011 with availability in all markets nationwide by the end of that year.
Consumers who have reserved the Nissan LEAF online will be invited to place orders through their dealer for the vehicle in advance of market roll-out timing, allowing time for consumers to select a dealer and assess home charging needs. Nissan is continuing to take reservations for the Nissan LEAF through its website, www.NissanUSA.com. Interested consumers are encouraged to place a reservation, which entails a $99 fully refundable fee to secure a spot on the list to place an order.
The buyers. The reservations process has educated Nissan about more than just geographic distribution. Some information gleaned about potential future Nissan LEAF drivers includes:
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Purchase time: About 67% of Nissan LEAF reservations holders have indicated that they'd be ready to purchase or lease a Nissan LEAF within one year of placing the reservation. An additional 24% indicated they would be ready in one to two years.
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Home and Parking: About 75% of people who placed reservations own a single-family home. About 68% have attached garages, while an additional 18% have detached garages or carports. Home ownership and dedicated parking are important factors for Nissan LEAF drivers who plan to charge their vehicles at home.
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Interests: Several primary interests are inspiring people to order a Nissan LEAF. Cited interests include energy independence (35 percent); environmental consciousness (34 percent); and cost/fuel economy (20 percent).
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Favorite color: The favorite color of Nissan LEAF owners is blue. More than 30% of reservations are for blue Nissan LEAF electric cars. Silver is a close second, at about 26%. The remaining reservations are close to evenly split among red, black and white.
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Trim level: About 75% of Nissan LEAF orders are for the SL trim level, which adds a rearview monitor, solar panel spoiler, fog lights, and automatic headlights.
Source: Green Car Congress