Nissan gets Creative with Smoking Billboard at New York Auto Show

It might not be an award winning campaign, but Nissan’s new outdoor board placed right outside the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center during the 2011 New York Auto Show (April 22 to May 1 for the public) is sure to grab attention and increase awareness for the firm’s all-electric Leaf family car.

The two-sided Smokeboard was created by the Japanese firm’s advertising partner TBWA\Chiat\Day, which is the American division of the advertising agency TBWA Worldwide.

On one side, the billboard features an actual working tailpipe that emits fumes into the air (with the agency stressing the fact that the exhaust is environmentally friendly…) and a headline that reads, “The auto show has over 1,000 of these”. On the other side, there’s a photo of the Leaf and a caption that says “But only one 100% electric, zero-tailpipe Nissan Leaf”. Check out the ad in action in the clip after the jump

Nissan Cannot Meet Demand for New Leaf EV, Production Shortages to Last Longer than Expected

It has been known for a while now that Nissan is struggling with the Leaf’s slow rollout. The demand for the all-electric vehicle is so high that the Japanese maker has been forced to stop receiving new orders and concentrate on filling existing ones. However, projected production figures show that the company will only assemble 10,000 units until March 31, while it has already received 27,000 orders from the U.S., Japan and Europe.

The remaining 17,000 orders are likely to be filled in the next fiscal year starting April 1, during which Nissan will reach the maximum production capacity of 50,000 units at the Oppama plant in Japan.

Consequently, the automaker could take 33,000 more orders in the next fiscal year, but it hasn’t decided yet when it will do so. According to Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga, Nissan wants to “deliver enough volume to the first lot” before giving new orders the green light.

One solution would be the opening of new assembly lines sooner than initially planned, but Shiga ruled out the possibility due to the fact that work has just started on the factory that would provide the additional lithium-ion battery packs needed.

That means Nissan's UK factory will begin producing Leafs in 2012, followed by the Tennessee plant in 2013, so the shortage could last longer than expected.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Autonews [Sub.required]

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THE AGE OF ELECTRIC MOTORING IN EUROPE

The first regular shipment of 100% electric Nissan LEAFs bound for Europe arrived in North East England on 3rd February.

The 67 Nissan LEAFs aboard the ‘City of St. Petersburg', Nissan's brand new energy-saving car carrier for transporting vehicles in Europe, are destined for customers in the UK and Ireland and will be unloaded from the Port of Tyne as the carrier completes its maiden voyage.

"The arrival of the Nissan LEAF, the world's first affordable, all-electric car, in Europe is a landmark day for Nissan and European transport. The Nissan LEAF is a genuine alternative to petrol and diesel cars in terms of style, features, safety, performance and handling," said Simon Thomas, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Nissan International SA, Nissan's European headquarters.

"It is fitting that this first shipment of Nissan LEAFs is arriving on our new energy-saving car carrier, the City of St. Petersburg. We look forward to delivering these cars to the very first Nissan LEAF customers, who share our vision for an environmentally sustainable future for road transport," he added.

The City of St. Petersburg has a sleek and semi-spherical bow which reduces wind resistance by up to 50%, resulting in fuel reductions of up to 800 tonnes annually, equivalent to about 2,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions. The carrier will join the fleet of ships which export hundreds of thousands of vehicles from Nissan Sunderland Plant each year.

UK customers have been able to pre-order the Nissan LEAF since September 2010 ahead of deliveries starting in the coming weeks. Pre-orders for the Nissan LEAF, which is powered by an advanced lithium-ion battery, have reached more than 27,000 units globally. The zero-emission car is currently built in Japan, but will be manufactured in Sunderland from 2013, following the start of production of lithium-ion batteries for such cars at the plant in 2012.

A comprehensive charging network is currently under development in the UK. North East England alone will have 1,300 charge points by 2013, including quick chargers capable of refuelling a Nissan LEAF from when the empty warning light switches onto an 80% charge in just under 30 minutes. Nissan's network of EV dealers - currently 25 sites across the UK - will all be equipped with a quick charger.

Across the UK there are programmes under way to install around 9,000 charge points by 2013.

Nissan research has found that 80% of daily driving in Britain is below 30 miles. With the Nissan LEAF's ability to carry five passengers up to 109 miles (175 km) under the New European Driving Cycle, its arrival in Europe marks a significant development in the environmentally-friendly, cost efficient options available for motorists.

Source: Nissan.

Nissan Leaf Wins the 2011 European Car of the Year Award

While our readers favored the Alfa Romeo Giulietta in our poll, the jury of the 2011 European Car of the Year Award (COTY) announced that the Nissan Leaf is the winner, earning a total of 257 points. This is the first time in the 47-year history of the competition that the award goes to an electric vehicle.

“The jury acknowledged today that the Nissan LEAF is a breakthrough for electric cars. Nissan LEAF is the first EV that can match conventional cars in many respects”, said Håkan Matson, President of the Jury, Car of the Year.

The Giulietta came in second with 248 points, while the Opel/Vauxhall Meriva took the bronze, with 244 points.

Naturally, Nissan is happy with the result. The firm's CEO Carlos Ghosn commented: “This award recognizes the pioneering zero-emission Nissan LEAF as competitive to conventional cars in terms of safety, performance, spaciousness and handling. It also reflects Nissan's standing as an innovative and exciting brand with a clear vision of the future of transportation, which we call sustainable mobility. With three other electric vehicles in the pipeline from Nissan - and with the imminent market introduction of four additional electric vehicles from our Alliance partner Renault - Nissan LEAF represents a significant first step toward a zero-emission future”.

The Nissan Leaf is a plug-in EV, featuring an 80 kW (107 hp) AC electric motor that's fed by a Nissan-developed laminated lithium-ion battery. The EV accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 11.9 seconds and it has a driving range of 175 km (109 miles).

Deliveries in Japan and the U.S. start this December, while European customers will have to wait until early 2011. Base price in Europe is €30,000, but there are government incentives in several countries, ranging between €3,000-6,000. The U.S. government offers a $7,500 federal tax credit, which means that the U.S.-spec model starts from $25.280.

By Csaba Daradics

2011 COTY Final Standings

1. Nissan Leaf 257 points

2. Alfa Romeo Giulietta 248 points

3. Opel/Vauxhall Meriva 244 points

4. Ford C-MAX/Grand C-MAX 224 points

5. Citroën C3/DS3 175 points

6. Volvo S60/V60 145 points

7. Dacia Duster 132 points

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Nissan Leaf EV Series-Production begins at Oppama Plant in Japan

Production of Nissan's pure electric Leaf started today at the firm's Oppama facility in Japan, ahead of the car's launch in Japan and the United States in December, and in select markets in Europe from early 2011. Currently, the Oppama plant has an annual production capacity of 50,000 units. The Japanese carmaker said it will begin exports to the USA in November, followed by Europe in December.

"This is a significant milestone, not only for Nissan and the Renault-Nissan Alliance, but also for the entire automotive industry," said Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn.

"Consumers are clear. They want sustainable and affordable mobility...and the Alliance is leading the way with cars that deliver exactly that, with the reliability, excitement and performance that consumers demand. The high-quality, innovative Nissan LEAF will radically transform what consumers expect from automobile manufacturers worldwide."

Nissan said it will start manufacturing the all-electric Leaf at its Smyrna facility in Tennessee, USA from late 2012 and at its Sunderland plant in the UK from early 2013. According to the carmaker, Smyrna will have an annual production capacity of 150,000 units, and Sunderland will have a capacity of around 50,000 units per year.

In the States, the Leaf will retail for $32,780, which comes down to $25,280 after a $7,500 federal tax credit, while buyers can also lease the EV for a monthly payment beginning at $349. The more technologically complex /advanced Chevy Volt has a much higher price tag starting from $41,000, or $33,500 after tax credits.

While the debate -believe it or not- if the Chevy is a hybrid-electric or a pure EV is still on, the five-door Leaf is 100% electric and is powered by an electric motor delivering the equivalent of 107-horsepower and 206 lb-ft of torque.

Nissan says the Leaf's lithium-ion battery pack can be filled up to 80% of its full capacity in just under 30 minutes with a quick charger, while charging at home through a standard 200V will take approximately eight hours. A full charge is expected to offer a driving range of more than 100 miles or 160km.

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