2011 Nissan LEAF Review

The 2011 Nissan LEAF is a breakthrough vehicle. It's electrically powered, capable of traveling 100 miles on a single charge, reaches speeds over 90 mph, and is expected to cost around $30,000. Nissan hopes to mass produce this vehicle by 2012 and reach the entire globe with this amazing battery powered EV.

The 2011 Nissan LEAF was recently unveiled to the public and has been receiving many raving reviews since it August introduction. Provide below is a brief overview of the vehicle including Nissan's expectations for this vehicle, as well as a review of the LEAF itself including driving characteristics and pricing.

The Nissan LEAF represents a new class of EVs, a vehicle that is designed from the ground up with the intentions of gaining mass appeal. Nissan's LEAF puts affordability and EV into the same sentence( at least Nissan promises us it will be affordable) and combines everything into a single package that overall is a solid vehicle.

In actuality, none of the current EVs on the market today truly compete with the Nissan LEAF as it easily undercuts the cost of its competition by at least $15,000. The price is truly an amazing selling point of the Nissan LEAF as its expected to become one of the cheapest and therefore most appealing EVs today.

The Nissan LEAF is a room vehicle with seating for four adults or five in a pinch. It has a sizable cargo area that is large partially due to the hatchback design of the vehicle. It offers a state of the art interior design that is striking in its simplicity.

On to the driving portion of the review. Out on the test track, the LEAF accelerated with vigor and packs a punch right from 0 RPM. Its immediate acceleration is common on most EVs are max torque with electric motors is available at 0 rpm. The short track length prohibited the vehicle from reaching the top speed of about 90 mph, but the brief drive confirmed that this EV packs a lot of punch.

On the outside, the LEAF doesn't try to stand out as an EV, but it does have subtle design elements that easily distinguish it from other Nissan vehicles. From the concave hatchback design to the huge headlights, its a little quirky on the outside, but still manages to look slightly ordinary.

The LEAF is a great overall vehicle. It electronic powertain is seamless and it performs as anyone would expect a vehicle to. Its an EV, but many drivers would be gladly relieved to learn that it drives just like any other car on the road today.

EVs will hit the markets hard soon and Nissan hopes that there LEAF will be ahead of the competition. With low pricing, good performance, decent styling, and no gas used, its a standout vehicle that should sell well. Nissan has hit a homerun with the 2011 Nissan LEAF EV.