Nissan LEAF EV to Make North American Debut at LA Show in November

North American consumers will get a chance to see Nissan's series production LEAF for the first time up close at the Los Angeles Auto Show on December 4th. Nissan said that it will begin taking U.S. orders for the fully-electric compact hatchback in Spring 2010 with the first examples expected to be delivered to customers later in the year.

The LEAF, which is also set to go on sale in Japan and Europe in late 2010, features an all-electric drivetrain that comprises of a electric motor delivering 107 horsepower and 280Nm of torque, and a lithium-ion battery pack that can be charged up to 80% of its full capacity in just under 30 minutes with a quick charger while charging at home through a 200V outlet is estimated to take approximately eight hours. The LEAF is said to have a driving range of more than 100 miles (160 kilometers).

VIDEO: Toyota FT-86 and Honda CR-Z Coupes and other 2009 Tokyo Show Cars Filmed in the Flesh

This year's Tokyo Motor Show that runs for the public from October 24 to November 4, 2009 may be a shadow of its former self as aside from the domestic automakers, Lotus and Alpina are the only foreign brands that will be present at the event, but still, the show will play host to some very significant debuts including the hotly-anticipated Toyota FT-86 rear-wheel drive 2+2 and Honda CR-Z Hybrid near-production coupe concepts.

The video below includes live footage of both coupes as well as from the Mitsubishi PX-MiEV SUV Concept, Mazda Kiyora Concept (Japanese Premiere) and the production Nissan Leaf, that were filmed by the folks over at Japan's Motor Magazine during what appears to be a special pre-show event.

Nissan to Begin Taking U.S. Orders for LEAF EV in Spring 2010, Says 22,000 People Contacted the firm Since August

In what could be a good marketing lesson for GM and its much touted Chevy Volt that has been making the media rounds for the past two years but won't be available for another year or so, Nissan has revealed that it will begin taking orders in the U.S. for is all-electric LEAF compact hatch in Spring 2010 with first deliveries expected later in the year. The announcement comes only two months after the official presentation of the dedicated plug-in EV model at a special event Nissan's Japanese headquarters in Yokohama in the beginning of August.

Nissan said that up until now, near 22,000 people in North America have contacted the brand for details on the zero-emission electric car.

According to Japanese automaker, about 70 percent of those that came in contact with the company reside in markets where the all-electric zero-emission car first will be brought to market. Almost half reported that they want to obtain the LEAF as soon as it goes on sale, and another 45 percent showed an interest in owning an electric vehicle within the next two to three years.

"The groundswell of interest, especially from people in our initial launch markets, demonstrates to us the importance of a reservation system," said Carlos Tavares, head of Nissan's operations in North, Central and South America. "Our goal is to confirm at least 20,000 reservations for Nissan LEAF by the time we deliver the world's first mass-market zero-emission car in late 2010."

Nissan said that U.S. consumers will get the chance to see the LEAF up close starting in November, when it will be on tour throughout the major launch markets in the States. The tour will begin in Los Angeles at a special event.

About the same size as the Tiida, the LEAF is based on a new platform and it is equipped with an electric drivetrain that comprises of a 107HP electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack that can be charged through any home outlet providing a driving range of 100 miles (160km).

Initially, the North American market LEAF will be imported from Japan starting in late 2010, however, Nissan said that beginning in late 2012, it will manufacture the EV and its lithium-ion battery at the company's plant in Smyrna, Tennessee.

VIDEO: Nissan's All-Electric 2011 LEAF Compact Hatch in Action

This past weekend, Nissan swiped the covers off the LEAF, a production-ready, fully electric model that is plans to sell in Japan, the United States and Europe before the end of 2010. The compact-sized five-door hatchback is powered by a 107 horsepower electric motor that draws energy from a set of lithium-ion batteries similar to the ones found on your everyday cell-phones, laptops and other electric appliances. You can watch the LEAF in action right after the jump.

Nissan Leaf: Affordable All-Electric Hatch Goes on Sale in 2010, 45 High-Res Photos

Unveiled today at Nissan's Japanese headquarters in Yokohama, the zero-emissions Nissan Leaf is a dedicated, mass production electric-vehicle that is slated for launch in late 2010 in Japan, the United States, and Europe. Slightly larger than the Tiida, the medium-sized five-door hatchback is based on a unique platform and it is equipped with a fully electric drivetrain that consists of a 107HP electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack that can be charged through any home outlet providing a driving range of more than 160km (100 miles).

Nissan said that it expects the car to be competitively priced in the range of a well-equipped C-segment vehicle something that points towards a €20,000 range in Europe and close to $30,000 in the USA.

While the Leaf's styling won't be winning any beauty contests, what it will do is give prospective buyers a sense of uniqueness without breaking the norm. That's more evident with the interior design that has an almost concept-feeling to it. For the record, the Leaf is not a prototype study as what you see, is 99-percent what you'll get when the Leaf hits showrooms in late 2010.

"Our car had to be the world's first, medium-size, practical EV that motorists could afford and would want to use every day. And that's what we've created," said Masato INOUE, Nissan Product Chief Designer. "The styling will identify not only Nissan LEAF but also the owner as a participant in the new era of zero-emission mobility."

An interesting detail concerns the headlights which have been designed to split and redirect airflow away from the door mirrors, in order to reduce wind noise and drag. According to Nissan, the lights provide yet one more benefit in that they consume just 10 percent of the electricity of conventional lamps.

At 4,445mm (175-in.) long, 1,770mm wide (69.7-in.) with a height of 1,550mm (61-in.) and a wheelbase of 2,700mm (106.3-in.), the Leaf is larger than your usual C-segment hatch. For example, the VW Golf is 4,199mm long (165-in.), 1,779mm wide (70-in.) with a height of 1,479mm (58.2-in.) and a wheelbase of 2,578mm (101.5-in.).

But whereas conventional hatchbacks like the Golf use internal combustion engines, the front-wheel drive Leaf is equipped with a fully electric drivetrain. Power is provided by an electric motor that delivers 80kW or 107-horsepower and 280Nm (206 lb-ft) of torque while energy is drawn from a combination regenerative braking system and a lithium-ion battery pack positioned underneath the cabin floor to save space.

The Leaf's batteries can be charged up to 80% of its full capacity in just under 30 minutes with a quick charger while a full charge at home through a 200V outlet is estimated to take approximately eight hours. The socket for the Leaf's charging plug is hidden underneath a flap with the firm's logo on the bonnet.

In theory, the idea sounds right, but we can help but wonder how buyers that live in large cities and do not own a garage will be able to charge the car's battery - let alone if the batteries are depleted away from home. Nissan said that it is addressing this problem with the development of a comprehensive charging infrastructure through public and private investment with its Zero-emission mobility programmes.

The Japanese automaker said that it has formed partnerships with countries such as the UK and Portugal, local governments in Japan and the USA, and other sectors, for a total of nearly 30 partnerships worldwide.

Nissan claims that the Leaf will have a driving range in excess of 160 km or 100 miles while the hatchback will be able to achieve a top speed of over 90mph or 140 km/h.

The Leaf will also come equipped with an advanced IT system that will be connected to a global data centre, providing support, information, and entertainment for drivers 24 hours a day.

Nissan will build the Leaf at its Oppama plant, Japan, with additional capacity planned for the firm's Smyrna plant in Tennessee, USA. The EV's lithium-ion batteries are being produced in Zama, Japan, with additional capacity planned for the USA, the UK and Portugal, and other sites around the world.