Publications
Partners
The all-electric Nissan Leaf should achieve a fossil fuel consumption figure of 2.23 litres/100km in city driving and 2.57 on the open road.
Nissan has reported that the American Environmental Protection Agency's fuel efficiency window sticker, providing information about the car's energy use, estimate these to be the Leaf's equivalent fossil fuel consumption figures.
EPA's tests rate the Leaf to travel nearly 120km on a fully charged battery and will cost the equivalent of R3966 (about R330 a month) a year in electricity in the US.
Nissan believes the car can travel 160km on a full charge, based on tests by California regulators.
Spark wars begin
Both Nissan and General Motors will release electric cars within weeks in the auto industry's most prominent attempt at mass-producing vehicles that shift away from petrol.
The Leaf does not have an internal combustion engine and must be recharged when its battery is flat but the tests show fuel efficiency nearly twice that of Toyota's Prius.
GM's entry, the Chevrolet Volt, uses a battery for the first 40 to 80km and a small petrol tank to create an additional charge for another 480km. GM has not stated the fuel consumption for the Volt.
Mark Perry, Nissan North America's director of product planning and strategy, said the Leaf's range would vary according to driving conditions.
Tests by the Federal Trade Commission, which regulates advertising claims, estimates a range of 154 to 177km per charge and the company's internal tests had found a broader range of 100 to 220km, Perry said.
The California Air Resources Board estimated a range of 160km.
Enticing environmentally friendly option
Nissan will start selling the Leaf in California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Tennessee before Christmas with a sticker price of $32 780 (about R232 000). It will go on sale in other markets through 2011.
The Volt will cost $41 000 (about R290 000), be sold first in California, and then across the Us over the next 12-18 months.
Both vehicles qualify for a $7 500 (about R53 000) US tax credit and some US states and communities have promised additional tax breaks.
GM spokesman Greg Martin said the automaker was working with the EPA and expected a fuel consumption comparison soon.
The EPA calculated the Leaf's fuel economy based on a formula that says 33.7kW per hour holds the energy equivalent of one US gallon of petrol. The label estimates a charging time of seven hours on a 240-volt charge.
Cost estimates were based on 24 000km a year at the equivalent of R0.84 per kiloWatt-hour. – Sapa-AP
Nissan has reported that the American Environmental Protection Agency's fuel efficiency window sticker, providing information about the car's energy use, estimate these to be the Leaf's equivalent fossil fuel consumption figures.
EPA's tests rate the Leaf to travel nearly 120km on a fully charged battery and will cost the equivalent of R3966 (about R330 a month) a year in electricity in the US.
Nissan believes the car can travel 160km on a full charge, based on tests by California regulators.
Spark wars begin
Both Nissan and General Motors will release electric cars within weeks in the auto industry's most prominent attempt at mass-producing vehicles that shift away from petrol.
The Leaf does not have an internal combustion engine and must be recharged when its battery is flat but the tests show fuel efficiency nearly twice that of Toyota's Prius.
GM's entry, the Chevrolet Volt, uses a battery for the first 40 to 80km and a small petrol tank to create an additional charge for another 480km. GM has not stated the fuel consumption for the Volt.
Mark Perry, Nissan North America's director of product planning and strategy, said the Leaf's range would vary according to driving conditions.
Tests by the Federal Trade Commission, which regulates advertising claims, estimates a range of 154 to 177km per charge and the company's internal tests had found a broader range of 100 to 220km, Perry said.
The California Air Resources Board estimated a range of 160km.
Enticing environmentally friendly option
Nissan will start selling the Leaf in California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Tennessee before Christmas with a sticker price of $32 780 (about R232 000). It will go on sale in other markets through 2011.
The Volt will cost $41 000 (about R290 000), be sold first in California, and then across the Us over the next 12-18 months.
Both vehicles qualify for a $7 500 (about R53 000) US tax credit and some US states and communities have promised additional tax breaks.
GM spokesman Greg Martin said the automaker was working with the EPA and expected a fuel consumption comparison soon.
The EPA calculated the Leaf's fuel economy based on a formula that says 33.7kW per hour holds the energy equivalent of one US gallon of petrol. The label estimates a charging time of seven hours on a 240-volt charge.
Cost estimates were based on 24 000km a year at the equivalent of R0.84 per kiloWatt-hour. – Sapa-AP
