6 October 2011
New car report; Cars this frugal don't grow on trees.
So much has been said about electric vehicles (EV’s) of late that they hardly need any introduction. While they’re still a little way from being the norm, we’re more accepting of the technology today, thanks partly to manufacturers who have paved the way with hybrids which use a combination of fossil fuel and electric propulsion, and which have now firmly established themselves within the realms of mainstream.
But in the quest for zero emission cars, hybrids only answer part of the question and there’s a very credible argument in favour of lean and clean-burning modern petrol or diesel engines over hybrids, many of which produce fuel consumption and emission figures equal to, and in some cases better than hybrids but with none of the associated complex technology. Either way, they all burn oil-based fuels to a greater or lesser degree.
So a car that can be plugged in overnight, get you to work and back the next day, allow a bit of running around in the evenings and weekends, can comfortably accommodate five people and a bit of luggage, uses no petrol or diesel and runs on batteries alone seems like a better proposition.
Charge it while you sleep
Sure, charging an EV will add a few dollars to your power bill, but the convenience of driving home, pulling into your garage and connecting the power cable until the morning when you can drive off again with a full charge, surely beats having to visit the gas station.
The downside, other than the few extra bucks you’ll be depositing into your power company’s coffers each month, is that you won’t travel the same distance between fills that you would in your petrol or diesel car. Instead of the 500 to 600 kilometres per tankful you can expect in a petrol car or around 1,000 kilometres for most diesels, you’ll only get around 150 kilometres between charges in an EV. Less if you’re lead footed.
However, given that the average New Zealand motorist travels only 38 kilometres per day, in theory you’ll only need to plug your electric car in once every three or four days, and as it’ll be charging while you’re sleeping, it’s all quite hassle-free.
EV's well suited to Kiwi power generation
Nissan New Zealand Managing Director, John Manley explains that New Zealand’s predominantly renewable-source power generation, being mainly hydro, means that we are well placed to take advantage of power that’s generated at night that would otherwise go to waste.
He explains that by setting the onboard charger’s timer to top up the 192 cell lithium-ion battery pack during off-peak times at night, the environmental impact of the power generation required is minimal.
Therefore, New Zealand is ideally suited for the introduction of EV’s, hence Nissan’s decision to bring the Leaf to market here ahead of most global markets.
However, where governments in other parts of the world are offering financial incentives for buyers of zero emission cars, in New Zealand the only advantage for EV buyers is that there will be no taxation such as the Road User Charge that applies to diesel vehicles, at least until 2013 when a review will take place.
With a 5 star Euro NCAP safety rating, a high level of equipment and every bit as much interior space and legroom as any other compact hatchback, there’s nothing to suggest the Leaf would be anything but a practical daily driver.
Like the other EV on offer in New Zealand, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV that we drove a year or two ago, it’s a strange sensation starting up a car that doesn’t actually start up. Push the button and you’re aware that you’ve woken it up because the warning lights and instruments come to life, but other than that, there’s no sound and no other indication that it’s ready to roll. But hit the accelerator pedal and progress is swift but silent.
Due to the weight of the low slung battery pack mounted in the floor, centre of gravity is low and the Leaf feels solid and well-planted. Interior finish is exceptionally good and performance is impressive thanks to the immediate torque of the electric motor.
2011 World Car of the Year
Declared World Car of the Year 2011 in April this year at the New York International Auto Show, the Nissan Leaf was up against thirty nine entries. Taking out the award was no mean feat, given that the other two finalists were the Audi A8 and BMW 5 Series.
While Nissan is keeping mum about pricing for now, expectation is that it’s likely to be competitive with the Mitsubishi i-MiEV which has gone on sale here at $59,990. Given that the Leaf offers more space, more practicality and a higher spec level it’s likely to be the preferred buyer choice in the current two horse EV race.