Nissan Turns Over A New Leaf  

Grist has apost on a new all-electric car from Nissan - Nissan Unveils Leaf Electric Car.

Nissan unveiled Sunday its first all-electric car, the Leaf, vowing to open a new chapter for the troubled auto industry and take a lead over its bigger rivals in zero-emission vehicles.

The mid-sized hatchback, which will go on sale in late 2010 in Japan, the United States, and Europe, represents a bold bet by Nissan that hybrids are merely a passing fad on the road to pure electric vehicles.

The Leaf, described by Nissan as “the world’s first affordable, zero-emission car,” can travel more than 100 miles on a single charge, at a top speed of 87 miles per hour, the company said.

It will “lead the way to a zero-emission future, opening a new era in the automotive industry,” chief executive Carlos Ghosn said, unveiling the car at the group’s new headquarters in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo.

“The Leaf is totally neutral to the environment: there is no exhaust pipe, no gasoline-burning engine. There is only the quiet, efficient power provided by our own lithium-ion battery packs,” he added.

The price was not announced, but Ghosn said it would be “very competitive.”

Nissan plans to sell the car at a similar price to a comparable model with a petrol-powered engine. The battery, which will be stored under the seat and floor, will be leased separately.

“The monthly cost of the battery, plus the electric charge, will be less than the cost of gasoline,” Ghosn said. ...

But the Leaf will not be the first electric car on the market. Mitsubishi Motors recently rolled out its “i-MiEV” minicar while Fuji Heavy Industries launched the Subaru Plug-in STELLA.