Amazingly, the Leaf has pulled in prospects mostly from other brands. Estimates are that 90% of the people on the Leaf waiting list are new to the Nissan brand. It proves that being the first to break into the 100-miles-per-charge target long thought by many marketers to be the prime spot for electric cars to achieve broad market sales.
Meanwhile, Nissan is quietly admitting that in most people's driving world, the Leak will likely get only 50 to 70 miles on a charge, according to Automotive News.
While some critics call it foul to tout 100 miles when the real world result is likely to be much less, we frankly think that if you can drive by a gas station without pulling in, that's still good EV progress.
The new Leaf will go on sale in "select" (read, practically nowhere you and I live) markets in December, it's slated for general distribution and national sales in 2012. By then, the EV will have a chance to demonstrate its actual miles-per-charge and reliability. That is something to watch for before you get in the Leaf line too.
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