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Old 10-22-2010, 05:19 PM   #24 (permalink)
cfg83
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Location: Southern California
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1999 Saturn SW2 - '99 Saturn SW2 Wagon
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Frank -

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee View Post
You haven't been to the upper Midwest then. We have zero foreign car dealerships in town and that is partly why there is not much here besides 4x4s and Cadillacs. The nearest foreign dealership is 60 miles away, and it's not Nissan. I think the nearest Nissan dealership is 90 miles.
Yeah, I'd never consider a Leaf because of range anxiety, and I have a "real" infrastructure in Los Angeles. At least at the dealership it would take only 30 minutes with the fast charger, which could be a coffee/wifi moment :

2011 Nissan LEAF: Charging Capabilities Could Make Range Limitless - All Cars Electric
Quote:
The LEAF;s 48 lithium ion modules offer several different charging methods. Of course there is the standard 100 volt method which takes around 16 hours to charge, and then there the 220 volt connection that cuts the charge time down to half, but what about the fast charge option?
This fast charge feature allows the batteries to be charged to 80 % of its capacity in just 30 minutes
adding tremendous convenience to the vehicle. Additionally, in a mere 10 minutes of charging using the fast charge setup you will be able to gain 31 miles of additional range. 5 minutes would get you 15 miles further down the road.
This charging feature makes the vehicle extremely versatile and usable under nearly any situation. A dine in at the local fast food joint would give you nearly enough time to refill the battery. Long road trips, full of frequent stops at rest areas would be possible if these places had fast charging systems.
In addition to the vehicle's charging capability is the vehicle's ability to show you where recharging stations are located within the useful range of the vehicle. This system works in conjunction with the car's GPS system.
In theory the system would work to extend the vehicles range to an almost limitless amount, but there is a catch. The charging system would cost around $45,000 to install it in your own home. For most buyers, the cost would far exceed their budgets and would not be a sensible option.
I wonder how much the juice would cost. And is Nissan going to invest in a fast-charger at all their dealerships? This dealership option is "feasible" under the slow roll-out plan :

Kent couple to be among first to purchase new Nissan Leaf electric car
Quote:
Nissan cut off reservations for the Leaf last month at 20,000, as it slowly rolls out the new car in the states of Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona and Tennessee. The company plans to increase the availability of cars next spring with a full market rollout in 2012, according to the Nissan Web site. Nissan reports it is limiting its initial production of cars in order to provide a higher level of customer service.
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