Nissan of Elk Grove

02.11.2010 , NEW YORK

NISSAN ANNOUNCES NISSAN LEAF PURCHASE PROCESS; GIVES FIRST GLIMPSE AT MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Nissan LEAF Zero-Emission Tour Culminates in New York

• REGISTER: Interested people can register for more information about the Nissan LEAF on www.NissanUSA.com. To date, close to 50,000 people have registered on the website. Registrants will be given first priority to reserve a Nissan LEAF.
  
  
• RESERVE: The reservation process will begin in April, shortly after the announcement of the price of the Nissan LEAF. Upon paying a fully refundable $100 reservation fee, registrants will be among the first in line able to order a Nissan LEAF.
  
  
• ORDER: Nissan will begin taking firm orders in August, for deliveries when sales begin in the driver's particular market.
  
  
• EARLY DELIVERIES: Rollout begins in select markets in December 2010, with vehicles available in all major launch markets quickly thereafter.
  

• Diverse tour stops, stretching from Stanford University to the Kennedy Space Center. Other stops included: Phoenix on New Year's Eve, in conjunction with the Fiesta Bowl; Qwest Field in Seattle; the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland; and a charging-station-equipped McDonald's in Cary, N.C. The tour also stopped at Nissan Americas in Franklin, Tenn; the Smyrna, Tenn., manufacturing facility where the Nissan LEAF will be built starting in 2012; and Nissan Design Americas in San Diego. New York area stops include Madison Square Garden (Feb. 10), and upcoming public displays at the Time Warner Center (Feb. 12) and the Liberty Science Center (Feb. 13).
  
  
• Due to the high level of interest, Atlanta and Boston were added to the original tour schedule, bringing total cities to 24.
  
  
• Nearly 50,000 people have registered to receive information and learn more about the Nissan LEAF on www.NissanUSA.com as a result of the tour. Signing up online is the first step in the reservation and purchase process.
  
  
• Already, the Nissan LEAF has received more than 10 media and environmental awards, including the Green Car Vision Award, presented at the Washington Auto Show by Green Car Journal.
  
  
• The announcement of the closing of Nissan's loan with the U.S. Department of Energy. The $1.4 billion loan will fund the modification of Nissan's Smyrna, Tenn., manufacturing plant to produce the Nissan LEAF and batteries to power it. Groundbreaking for the new battery plant will take place in May.
  
  
• The announcement of a joint commitment with Hertz, the world's largest general market rental brand, to bring zero-emission mobility car rental to the United States and Europe in 2011. Hertz is developing a rollout of the Nissan LEAF at select rental sites in both major markets.
  
  
• Nissan announced that AeroVironment will supply and install home charging stations for the Nissan LEAF, creating a one-stop shop for the Nissan LEAF and its charging equipment.
  
  
• The tour reached all markets that are part of The EV Project, the world's largest EV infrastructure deployment ever undertaken. The EV Project, funded by a $98 million grant from the Department of Energy and led by EV infrastructure provider eTec, a division of Ecotality, will provide an unprecedented number (6,510) of public charging stations across the 5 participating markets and will provide home charging stations for up to 4700 Nissan Leafs sold in those markets. The public stations will include both Level 2 (240V) and Level 3 DC fast chargers. The EV Project markets are Seattle, Oregon, Tennessee (Knoxville, Nashville and Chattanooga), Phoenix/Tucson, Ariz., and San Diego.
  
  
• The tour also served as the backdrop to announce newly established partnerships with Reliant Energy of Houston; the City of Orlando and the Orlando Utilities Commission; the City of Houston; and the State of Massachusetts. These agreements, like three dozen others globally, are designed to promote the development of an electric-vehicle charging network and policies to support the widespread adoption of electric cars.
  
  
• Existing partnerships furthered progress, taking steps like securing letters of intent for vehicle fleet purchases and the formation of working groups and task forces to foster the development of the electric-vehicle infrastructure, such as Oregon's Governor's Alternative Fuel Vehicle Infrastructure Working Group. In North America, Nissan has spearheaded a holistic approach to zero-emission mobility by working with states, municipalities, utility companies and other partners, to prepare markets and infrastructure. Nissan has formed 18 partnerships in the United States, in areas including State of Tennessee, the State of Oregon, Sonoma County, San Diego and San Francisco in California, Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz., Washington D.C., Seattle, with the City of Orlando and Orlando Utilities Commission, with Progress Energy in Raleigh, N.C., with the City of Houston and Houston-based Reliant Energy, with the State of Massachusetts. Nissan also has formed partnerships with Mexico City and Vancouver, Canada.
  

 
NISSAN NORTH AMERICA SELECTS AEROVIRONMENT TO INSTALL HOME-CHARGING STATIONS FOR NISSAN LEAF
Agreement part of one-stop shop experience for EV purchase process
Detroit, Mich. -

Nissan North America (NNA) today announced its selection of AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) (AV) to supply electric vehicle home-charging stations and installation services supporting the introduction of the zero-emission, all-electric Nissan LEAF later this year.

The Nissan LEAF five-passenger electric car will be powered by an advanced, lithium-ion battery pack that will provide a drive range of 100 miles on a full charge, as measured by the LA4 test cycle. AV's Nissan-branded charging stations will be available at the sale of each Nissan LEAF as part of the vehicle's total driving system. The home-charging stations are designed to provide a safe and reliable charge when installed with a connection to a 220-volt line. It will take eight hours to fully charge the Nissan LEAF from a fully discharged state.

Home charging will represent a highly convenient charging method for the Nissan LEAF customer. AV's nationwide network of qualified, licensed electricians will offer pre-installation home assessment services prior to vehicle delivery, and will install the charging stations.

"Nissan is committed to bringing zero-emission mobility to the United States, and around the world," said Carlos Tavares, Chairman, Nissan Americas. "A part of that commitment is delivering a one-stop shop experience for the new car owner, which is why we chose AeroVironment. As a result of our selection, drivers of the Nissan LEAF will be able to charge their vehicles safely overnight at their own homes."

"By introducing a practical electric passenger and fleet vehicle, Nissan is moving boldly to link driving with zero emissions and energy independence," said Tim Conver, AV's chairman and chief executive officer. "Our selection as Nissan's preferred charging equipment and service provider, for what we believe will be the largest adoption of battery electric cars in history, represents a great opportunity to apply our nationwide EV charging infrastructure solutions to the successful introduction of the Nissan LEAF. We are committed to making those who purchase a Nissan LEAF and our universal home charging system successful in the use of clean, electric vehicles."

Nissan announced this supply agreement at the North American International Auto Show, where the Nissan LEAF was being displayed for international media Jan. 11-12. Nissan, along with its alliance partner Renault, is the only automaker committed to making all-electric vehicles available to the mass market on a global scale. The Nissan LEAF will go on sale in select markets in the United States in December.

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive design, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010, whose key priorities are reducing CO2 emissions, cutting other emissions and increasing recycling. More information on the Nissan LEAF and zero emissions can be found at www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car.

About AeroVironment (AV)

• Building on a history of technological innovation, AV designs, develops, produces, and supports an advanced portfolio of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and efficient electric energy systems. Agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied military services use the company's battery-powered, hand-launched UAS to provide situational awareness to tactical operating units through real-time, airborne reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition. AV's clean transportation solutions include power cycling and test systems and industrial electric vehicle charging systems for commercial and institutional customers, as well as EV home chargers and EV fast chargers for consumers. More information about AV is available at www.avinc.com.

NISSAN UNVEILS "LEAF" - THE WORLD'S FIRST ELECTRIC CAR DESIGNED FOR AFFORDABILITY AND REAL-WORLD REQUIREMENTS

Event ushers in a new era for Nissan and a new era for mobility

YOKOHAMA - 

1. Zero-emission power train and platform
2. Affordable pricing
3. Distinctive design
4. Real-world range autonomy - 160km (100 miles)
5. Connected Mobility: Advanced intelligent transportation (IT) system

The "LEAF" name is a significant statement about the car itself.  Just as leaves purify the air in nature, so Nissan LEAF purifies mobility by taking emissions out of the driving experience.  Pricing details will be announced closer to start of sales in late 2010; however, the company expects the car to be competitively priced in the range of a well-equipped C-segment vehicle.  Additionally, Nissan LEAF is expected to qualify for an array of significant local, regional and national tax breaks and incentives in markets around the world.  As an added benefit, because the vehicle has less mechanical complexity than a traditional gasoline-powered car, Nissan LEAF is designed to be friendly to the wallet as well as to the environment.

1. Development of a comprehensive charging infrastructure through public and private investment,
2. Incentives and subsidies from local, regional, and national governments, and 
3. Public education on the individual and societal benefits of zero-emissions mobility.

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By HANS GREIMEL, AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

Nissan Motor Co. CEO Carlos Ghosn is spending big money to make electric vehicles in high volumes--and soon.

On Aug. 2, Ghosn will unveil the first of three electric models in three vehicle segments that he plans to sell by 2013. The vehicles will be made in the United States, Japan and Europe. "We have a different strategy from other car manufacturers," Ghosn says. "We are the only ones investing for mass marketing, which is a risk, yes. But we think it is a bet in the right direction."

That bet takes shape at a new lithium ion battery plant and at an electric-vehicle assembly line that Nissan will build at its Smyrna, Tenn., manufacturing complex. A $1.6 billion low-interest loan from the U.S. government will cover some of the costs. Analysts question the payoff. Nissan is not alone in going electric.

-- In June, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., maker of Subaru cars, began leasing electric cars in Japan. Mitsubishi Motors Corp. follows later this month.

-- Toyota Motor Corp. will sell a plug-in Toyota Prius after 2010, taking on the Chevrolet Volt, which goes on sale in November 2010.

-- BMW AG's Mini brand is testing a plug-in model in the United States.

-- Tesla Motors Inc., owned 10 percent by Daimler AG, received a $465 million government loan to help bring its $57,400 Model S electric sedan to market. 'Go for mass market' But rivals see initial volume in the hundreds or thousands. Ghosn wants hundreds of thousands. "If you go for EV, you should go for mass market,"he says.

Analysts warn of hype. Battery-powered cars may be the wave of the future, but costs are high; the recharging infrastructure isn't there, and hefty government subsidies are needed to make electric vehicles competitive.

Nissan sees the technology as its best chance to eclipse Toyota and Honda Motor Co., which beat Nissan in introducing hybrid vehicles. "This is an opportunity to go into a whole new technology and own that space," says Andy Palmer, head of Nissan's electric-vehicle program. "Hybrid vehicles compete with the internal combustion engine. But EVs are a segment all their own." Nissan's consumer research shows that "there are definitely more than 100,000 in the United States who want" their next car to be an electric, Palmer says.

Dealers excited "We can't get them soon enough," says Bill Newton, owner of Newton Nissan in Gallatin, Tenn. "Customers have already been asking about the cars since the news broke about Nissan's plans to build the car here in Tennessee."

In California, Nissan of Elk Grove owner John Driebe thinks Nissan has identified a powerful new market segment. "A lot of Americans really want to stop using imported oil," he says. "We're excited about being able to market a car that will never use a drop of gasoline." Driebe's market near Sacramento is home to about 80,000 California state employees, many of whom are worried about the state's current budget crisis. Driebe sees commuting state employees as an ideal demographic group for the car. "By the time the electric car comes on line in 2012, the economy in California will be in a better place," says Driebe, the 2006 chairman of the Nissan Dealer Advisory Board. "Nissan is really committing to this idea, and I think they're going to be proven right."

The Tennessee factories will have capacity for 150,000 vehicles and 200,000 battery packs a year. Production begins in late 2012. Nissan also will build electric vehicles at its Oppama assembly plant south of Tokyo, starting next fall with a capacity of 50,000. It also plans an electric-vehicle plant for Europe and is studying a plant for China.

The first Japan-built car goes on sale in the United States and Japan next year to fleet customers such as corporations and local governments. It will be a four-door hatchback seating five people -- about the size of the Nissan Cube or Versa--with a range of 100 miles per charge. Pricing isn't set.

Oil vs. electrons Batteries are expensive. But Ghosn thinks rising oil prices will tilt the economics in favor of electrons. If crude oil rises above $80 a barrel, Nissan's electric vehicles will be cheaper to own and operate than gasoline-powered cars, he says. Crude trades for around $70 a barrel today. Analysts say that will rise as the global economy recovers. Ghosn aims for Nissan's electric cars, minus the battery, to cost as much as a standard car. Consumers will lease the battery at a cost that, including charging, will match what they would have paid for gasoline. Chris Richter, an analyst with CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets, says, "If they can make good on Ghosn's promise of a price comparable to a normal car, I think people will lap these up."

Nissan hasn't said how much it is spending on its electric ambitions. The first of the three models costs as much to develop as three normal cars, a person familiar with the situation says. The total investment in battery and car assembly at Smyrna is expected to exceed Nissan's $1.6 billion loan from Washington, he says.

The machinery needed to make 50,000 batteries a year costs more than $300 million, he said. Add in other costs, and the price tag just for battery plants in the United States, Japan and Europe -- which together will make more than 300,000 battery packs a year -- could total about $1.5 billion.

Analysts ask whether Nissan's bid to take an early lead in electrics is worth the cost. Kurt Sanger, an auto analyst with Deutsche Securities Inc., says, "If the competition just sits back to see if it works and then uses its brand credibility to enter the market, there's no need to be first." But Ghosn sees his bet as positioning Nissan for the future, not just beating rivals to market with a single model. "It's a complete new lineup. Big cars, small cars, vans, light commercial vehicles, entry-level cars," Ghosn says. "It's a complete new way of looking at our industry."

AutoWeek | Updated: 07/06/09, 8:49 am et