Nissan Leaf: Future or Failure?

Emphacy

Emphacy

Emphacy

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Nissan Leaf: Car of 2011.
The adverts are on, so what do you all think.

I'm not sure whether it's going to be a failure or the future.
It seems like a great idea, they're even manufacturing thousands of batteries for these things not far from where I live.

How far are these little things really gonna go, think we will completely switch to electric, which means death of petrol fueled cars?

Hmm, I've always wanted a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder. Too Bad =(
 
From £23,900 including £5k government incentive...:D

Where is my nearest charging station? Is there like a website with a map to show them in the UK?
 
I believe the Leaf is the first car built as an electric for mainstream rather than hacking about a current model.

I think it will be a good city car as this is what they are aimed at, or the 1 mile school run

Kimbie
 
If anything, cars like the Leaf could be the saviour of super cars, if everyone bumbles around in electric cars = more petrol saved. That's the theory anyway...
 
mglover070588 said:
So it is powered by a lovely coal powerplant.

What a waste of money.
Click to expand...

Can't we just lay these stupid Clarksonesque comments to rest?

The advantages of switching to electric cars even with a predominately coal-based grid are enormous. When you consider the constant and increasing shift to clean power you've got no leg to stand on.

The biggest problem with EVs are the still vast emissions and environmental damage involved in their manufacture and the sourcing and disposal of the lithium for their batteries.
 
It is an early step towards what will be the future, which is electric drive

mosfet the batteries are 95+% recycled now, so there is little waste in disposal
 
news is they are going to implement charging stations for the Nissan Leaf in every petrol station within the next few years.

They incorporate what's known as a 'fast charge' which allows you to charge 80% of the power in 30mins.

In just 10mins of charging with fast charge you can do an extra 31 miles.
Sounds like they are on the right lines to me.

So it is powered by a lovely coal powerplant.
Click to expand...

Nuclear will soon take over? Generating much more power, and much less pollution, looks like it's becoming a reality faster than expected?
 
Don't hold your breath for nuclear in this country, we have had years and years and years and years of discussions, and nothing has been finalised as yet
 
can imagine the fun if somebody wants to put their Leaf on charge for 30 minutes and theres only one charging point.

You're in for a hell of a wait !
 
mosfet said:
Can't we just lay these stupid Clarksonesque comments to rest?

The advantages of switching to electric cars even with a predominately coal-based grid are enormous. When you consider the constant and increasing shift to clean power you've got no leg to stand on.

The biggest problem with EVs are the still vast emissions and environmental damage involved in their manufacture and the sourcing and disposal of the lithium for their batteries.
Click to expand...

The overal efficiency benefits from electric with coal power plant to regular petrol are less than 1%.

Regarding the emissions and environmental damage of the new car, you are right but how much of an impact that is with the vehicle depends on how much the vehicle is used. iirc by 2015 95% of a car has to be recyclable, but whether it does or not is a different matter.

With regards to the 'Clarksonesque comments' remark, you must be bonkers if you don't realise that coal is horrendous for carbon emmisions and running a car from coal really isn't improving much. Nuclear would, but that is a completely different matter.

Also none of the above is really important if the vehicle is not remanufactured/reclaimed/recycled at the end of its life.
 
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mglover070588 said:
So it is powered by a lovely coal powerplant.

What a waste of money.
Click to expand...

Yes what a waste of money because of course car engines are just as efficient as coal power plants. :/

In terms of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, an electric vehicle is better because much less is generated by coal power stations per mile than petrol engine per mile, plus the fact that some electricity comes from nuclear or renewables (small proportion yes, but set to grow in the future).

Then there are the other advantages; quiet, and no exhaust at street level.

mglover070588 said:
The overal efficiency benefits from electric with coal power plant to regular petrol are less than 1%.
Click to expand...
I'm sure you have a good source backing this up. Can I read it?
 
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GreatAuk said:
Yes what a waste of money because of course car engines are just as efficient as coal power plants. :/

In terms of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, an electric vehicle is better because much less is generated by coal power stations per mile than petrol engine per mile, plus the fact that some electricity comes from nuclear or renewables (small proportion yes, but set to grow in the future).

Then there are the other advantages; quiet, and no exhaust at street level.
Click to expand...

Coal power plants are around 33% efficient.
Petrol engines are far lower.

(I realise we must look at the overal picture of getting the fuel, transporting it etc too).
 
The people who buy into this great global warming crusade are free to buy them, good luck to them as well. :)

I'll stick with a proper engine thanks. And by proper engine, I mean something with a range or more than 70 miles, stations everywhere and that can be refueled in minutes rather than hours.

Of course, there's then the fact that there's no engine noise. Whatever happened to the idea of using hydrogen as a fuel for cars?
 
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