Nissan Leaf vs GM Volt

[Zef]

Nissan Leaf vs. Chevy Volt: FIGHT!
by AARON HORWITZ, Contributing Writer

The future is coming in 2010, as high-tech hybrids prepare to duke it out for global supremacy.

No, I’m not talking about another sequel to Transformers (that’ll likely come in 2011). I’m talking about the brewing war between Chevy’s electric Volt and Nissan’s flashy new Leaf.

I wrote just yesterday about Chevy’s revolutionary new electric vehicle, and GM’s claim that under new EPA methods, the Volt would achieve 230 miles per gallon (MPG) in city driving. While naysayers and skeptics were all too quick to point out that those figures were misleading, Nissan quickly took the opportunity to throw its own [verbal] jab via its Twitter page. According to Nissan, that 230 mpg rating is child’s play, and they claim that their vehicle could boast a staggering 367 mpg under the same guidelines. Nissan also boasts a cheaper price tag and a smaller eco-footprint.

Uh oh, sounds like it’s time for a good ol’ fashioned electric car THROWDOWN…

…ahem, okay then.

The Nissan Leaf absolutely has the Volt cornered in terms of gasoline consumption…because it consumes none whatsoever. Unlike the Volt, which runs off electricity for its first 40 miles before the gasoline-generated engine kicks in, the Leaf is entirely electric. This means no tailpipe, and, amazingly, zero emissions. The Volt can boast the same claim about emissions only for the first 40 miles.

The price tag for the Volt is fairly steep, about $40,000 is the current estimate, while Nissan’s Leaf will be more affordable, with estimates as low as $25,000 (and as high as $30,000).

So it seems like the Leaf is the clear victor here—the electric car to beat…right? Not so fast.

The unfortunate drawback of releasing an entirely electric vehicle is that once it’s outta juice…you’re outta luck. Where the Volt can boast only 40 miles on a single charge, the Leaf claims it can achieve up to 100. However, the Volt’s generator and gas tank allow it to travel over 300 miles between charges. That could come in pretty handy for road trips (or even extended day trips) over 100 miles. Also, if you want to nitpick, Chevy estimates that charging their vehicle would cost approxamately 40 cents per charge (during off-peak hours), while Nissan’s estimate comes out to a retirement-fund-draining…90 cents per charge (gulp).

So, after all these [still speculative] numbers and estimates, is there a clear winner? Actually, there is: the consumer (and, if you’re really feeling optimistic, the planet).

Lets be honest here: watching this war unfold is like seeing two pastry chefs duke it out over who can bake the most delicious chocolate cupcake with the fewest calories. We all win.

[m21sniper]

Is there even a single person on this forum in the market for either one of these vehicles?

[island911]

Those numbers don't look very impressive to me.

[cgarr]

And the battery replacement cost at 80K miles is about 9K or equivalent to 3000 gallons of fuel or 66,000 miles at 22 MPG.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Is there even a single person on this forum in the market for either one of these vehicles?

Let me think about that.......no. A $40k Chevy (that's not a Corvette) or a 100 mile range Nissan, where did I put my checkbook?

[vash]

i already have my personalized plates picked out!

"ZAPPED"

and i will hang my finger tamborines from the mirror!

[pwd72s]

I wonder which is fastest around the ring?

[tcar]

The problem w/ the Leaf is that it's a less than pretty - re-skinned Renault platform. Some Murano there.

That can be a deal breaker for a lot of folks - looks count.

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by cgarr

And the battery replacement cost at 80K miles is about $9K or equivalent to 3000 gallons of fuel or 66,000 miles at 22 MPG.

Ouch.

[rammstein]

Originally Posted by cgarr

And the battery replacement cost at 80K miles is about 9K or equivalent to 3000 gallons of fuel or 66,000 miles at 22 MPG.

Shhhh.....

[RWebb]

get the Tesla sedan

[Tobra]

With my current driving habits, it would take me 10 years to go 80k miles, I like the Tesla sedan a lot, but pretty pricey. The Nissan would probably work pretty well for me, but I will probably just put another timing belt on the Integra and replace the clutch and the supension stuff.

That would be a pretty fun car with a few grand worth of work, and I can drive it to Lake Tahoe, or Canada if I want, and not worry about having to plug it in, still gets 33-35 mpg on the interstate, 24-28 around town, depending on hooliganism with that cam gizmo that gives it the schizophrenic thing around the middle of the tach.

I think I would miss the sound of an IC engine, come to thing of it. Maybe get the sound of Capt Kirk's phaser on overload for faster, what should they make it sound like? Pontiac could do the tiger thing, like they did with the GTO, no wait they don't exist anymore. Mayby Hyundai

[RWebb]

Elon Musk says $50k for the sedan

next, they do a 'cheap' car at $30k

electrics will just get better & better over time -- someday I may buy an electric Westy or SUV or sedan or something.

they'll look REAL good if or when gas hits $4/gal.

[porsche4life]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

I wonder which is fastest around the ring?

Neither. I predict they both die before they make it all the way around.

[Evans, Marv]

You all know the savings from driving electric cars will go waaaaaay down when Kalifornia (& other states & the feds) figures out they will have to tax by the mile driven. In the end it will probably work out to be the same. Sorry to rain on the parade.

[HardDrive]

Full electric cars will start to become more common in dense urban areas. We already have quite a few here in Seattle. But out in the hinterlands (were 90% of the population lives) they have some big drawbacks. In cold climates? Forget it.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Full electric cars will start to become more common in dense urban areas. We already have quite a few here in Seattle. But out in the hinterlands (were 90% of the population lives) they have some big drawbacks. In cold climates? Forget it.

Damn good point. What happens when I go out for work and it's 10 F? Batteries and cold temperature are not good friends.

[Zef]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Neither. I predict they both die before they make it all the way around.

+ 1 on this one...and GM will probably die with it....