First Impression
When I first walked up to the leaf, I was actually surprised at how big the vehicle was; particularly in the trunk and interior. The car looked and felt just like any other car in it’s class and actually had more interior space than some of its traditional counterparts. Being a 6′ 4″ guy, I can’t fit into just any vehicle. Legroom and headroom must be ample in order for me to not only be able to sit in a car, but safely see out of it in order to drive i.e. not be eye-level with the top of the windshield. The Leaf had both, and not just for the people up front, the backseat was fairly decent as well. Because the batteries are under the seats, there is actually room for a decent sized trunk as well.
The styling is subjective I suppose, but for what’s out there at the moment in the EV market, I’d say the Leaf is up there when it comes to body design. A lot of people talk about it having a “big rear end”, but in person it actually looks proportional and the real light configuration is really cool looking IMO.
Like a Prius, the Leaf as a large centralized touchscreen that monitors its performance/charge and offers control of the vehicle’s interior systems. Unlike the Prius, the touchscreen also contains an integrated advanced IT system that will not only allow drivers and passengers access to support information, weather, traffic, and even entertainment 24/7, but it will also notify drivers of the closest charging stations within the vicinity as well. Drivers will even be able to control many of the vehicles systems from a mobile phone and have the ability to schedule charging times.
The interior is what you’d expect from a vehicle in this class (plastic trim, cloth interior, etc.); only much of the interior is made from recycled material. The seat’s fabric, for example, is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles and Nissan claims that the car has been designed to be almost 100% recyclable at the end of its life
The Good: A 5 passenger car that is just as roomy, if not more so, as a traditional combustion engine vehicle in its class. Body styling is unique a fairly attractive. Dashboard display is informative and ergonomic. Stated range is more than enough for most drivers. No direct emissions. One of the first available EVs hitting the U.S. market.
The Bad: Cost, exact driving specs, and ownership details are still under wraps. Real world trial runs of EVs are exposing the fact that their batteries are significantly affected by extremely cold weather; reducing their driving range on a single charge by almost half in some cases. The Leaf is initially only being released in about a dozen U.S. cities. Still contributes GHG emissions indirectly.
The Bottom-Line: The Leaf looks and feels like a functional everyday vehicle for the urban dweller, but until some of its most important details are made known, it’s difficult to make a judgement on how practical or desirable this vehicle is really going to be
Full Analysis and Story Here: Sincerely Sustainable
(Click to Enlarge)
Comments
Leave a comment