Leaf price drop - game changer?

Sesshoumaru · 16-04-2012 10:44PM #1

With the Leaf having recently dropped to 25k, this puts it in the same price category as a Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion. A car like the Golf has the obvious advantage of range, whereas the Leaf would have a better specification level as standard, more power, single gear (automatic), cheaper running costs, more refined, smartphone app for remote climate control etc

So what I'm wondering is, are there people out there who are curious, but who were put off by the 30k price tag? Does this bring the Nissan Leaf into equation for some?

I suppose I should add that I know some are perfectly happy buying secondhand and that would apply no matter what new car I started this type of thread about

Anyway if you are the type of person who would buy a medium sized hatchback brand new, if 25k is still too much, what price would it become attractive to you at? The Nissan Leaf and battery factory in Sunderland UK will start production soon and Nissan have stated they think they can reduce the cost of a Leaf by potentially up to one third. Despite it depreciating the value of my Leaf, I am very much looking forward to more price drops on the Leaf and other EV's !

"Obviously one of the problems is that the initial purchase price is very high," said Lawther told Automotive News Europe. "Making it in the UK will take about a third of the cost of the car out." The final purchase price hasn't been decided for the next generation Leaf.

The Leaf will be built on the same Sunderland, north east England, production line as the Qashqai compact crossover. Batteries will come from a factory on the same site which has just started production.

"European content will be the high 90s in terms of percentage," Lawther said. The only major item imported from Japan will be the electric motor, although the company is considering building this in the UK too.

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20120412/ANE/120419963#ixzz1sF4AbBxS

16-04-2012 10:50PM

Heard an add for the price drop a few hours ago on the radio. Will surely swing it for many folks. Any one spending €20k on a new car now when factoring in fuel costs over a year or two should see the Leaf as very viable from an economic perspective.

RoverZT · 16-04-2012 10:52PM

When it has a 500km range, 200bhp and cheap batteries I will buy one.

That will be 2020 at least.

RoverZT · 16-04-2012 10:57PM

I don't have a garage either.

Wouldn't be the best idea having it charging out the front:D

Sesshoumaru · 16-04-2012 11:01PM

RoverZT wrote: »

I don't have a garage either.

Wouldn't be the best idea having it charging out the front:D

I know a good few EV owners, none of them have a garage and they all charge in their driveway. I don't see the issue? unless you live in an area where being slightly different singles you out for special attention?

LeinsterDub · 16-04-2012 11:01PM

I'd be interested but am really extremely worried about the batteries. No point saving on fuel on to be shelling out on batteries

Sesshoumaru · 16-04-2012 11:05PM

LeinsterDub wrote: »

I'd be interested but am really extremely worried about the batteries. No point saving on fuel on to be shelling out on batteries

Well this guy built his own BMW EV, I met him and he has quite a lot of experience.

http://www.evbmw.com/

I just thought I'd quote him on this

jackbauer wrote: »

Not to bore everyone to death but a point needs to be made regards EV batteries. The last time I checked the term "Lithium-ion Battery" actually encompassed some 27 different cathode chemisteries. The type fitted to mobile phones etc are COMPLETLY different from that fitted to a modern EV. Yes , certainly if I used cheap and nasty phone batteries in my car then I wouldn't get far or last long. On the other hand if I used an ev battery to power my phone I could talk until the end of time. The Lithium iron phosphate cell is gauranteed to reach at least 5000 cycles to 80% DOD and recent tests have shown this going out beyond 8000 cycles. Oh , and they have no measurable self discharge. The cell does not have a mechanism to allow it. So assuming no parasitic loads I can park my car at the airport , go on a 5 year holiday , come back and drive home.

Oh and on the cost issue. Two years ago my battery cost 4,500 euros delivered in a single quantity. Priced it last week. 3,250. I could buy a 24kwh battery off the shelf today (same capacity as the leaf) for 7,500 delivered in a single qty.

Owen · 16-04-2012 11:09PM

Price point is definitely closer to where it needs to be, but Jesus the Leaf is fugly. The Infiniti LE based on the Leaf is a much prettier car, and doesn't have the horrendous appliance connotaions the Nissan badge conjures up.

Guy:Incognito · 16-04-2012 11:11PM

RoverZT wrote: »

I don't have a garage either.

Wouldn't be the best idea having it charging out the front:D

All the public charging points are in the open are they not?

dar83 · 16-04-2012 11:15PM

Shame that front grille looks like a Gel insert for a shoe.

Alanstrainor · 16-04-2012 11:18PM

Owen wrote: »

Price point is definitely closer to where it needs to be, but Jesus the Leaf is fugly. The Infiniti LE based on the Leaf is a much prettier car, and doesn't have the horrendous appliance connotaions the Nissan badge conjures up.

God that's horrendous

Mycroft H · 16-04-2012 11:23PM

Owen wrote: »

Price point is definitely closer to where it needs to be, but Jesus the Leaf is fugly. The Infiniti LE based on the Leaf is a much prettier car, and doesn't have the horrendous appliance connotaions the Nissan badge conjures up.

I'd take the leaf over that. Looks too plastic for my liking.

Shows how cars are personal things though doesnt it

Bandara · 16-04-2012 11:26PM

Owen wrote: »

Price point is definitely closer to where it needs to be, but Jesus the Leaf is fugly. The Infiniti LE based on the Leaf is a much prettier car, and doesn't have the horrendous appliance connotaions the Nissan badge conjures

Jesus that's a freak show looking thing

And as has been said, when it can go 400 miles, has at least 200bhp and an engine that responds I'd definitely consider one.

Until then it's a nonsense piece of equipment for me personally

bazz26 · 16-04-2012 11:32PM

Hammertime wrote: »

Jesus that's a freak show looking thing

And as has been said, when it can go 400 miles, has at least 200bhp and an engine that responds I'd definitely consider one.

Until then it's a nonsense piece of equipment for me personally

Well you are going to be a little biast now.

Owen · 16-04-2012 11:48PM

That's a concept car, the front grill and light setup is exaggerated, but at least it looks like a sporty car, compared to the Leaf, which looks like a teapot.

dar83 · 16-04-2012 11:57PM

Owen wrote: »

That's a concept car, the front grill and light setup is exaggerated, but at least it looks like a sporty car, compared to the Leaf, which looks like a teapot.

Crazy talk, it's got a rear diffuser!!! :pac:

shedweller · 16-04-2012 11:58PM

On the one hand i think people are getting too caught up in the looks of these cars.

On the other hand i'm thinking, while they were making the dies to press out the body panels, could they not make them look appealing to most people?

monkeysnapper · 17-04-2012 12:00AM

The way fuel prices are going this car is the start of things to come, i took a leaf for a test drive and to be honest its a nippy little thing ' i was very impressed !!!! I think the design is a bit crap ' but for what you get with the car plus no huge fuel prices i think its very attractive purchase . All the people on here that slag the car, id like to know how many of you have taken one for a test drive .

dar83 · 17-04-2012 12:05AM

shedweller wrote: »

On the one hand i think people are getting too caught up in the looks of these cars.

On the other hand i'm thinking, while they were making the dies to press out the body panels, could they not make them look appealing to most people?

I think you'll find one of the most prevelant things in the design and concept of any EV, is the fact that without an engine noise manufacturers (and drivers/passengers) realise how noisy wind resistance can be when there is no engine sound. Therefore they have to try and design them as aerodynamically as possible, which you think might make for a good looking car, but when you're designing a family car and not a sports car, you end up with it looking like a Leaf.

Leonard Hofstadter · 17-04-2012 12:18AM

As long as a Leaf has a 160 km range (on an extremely good day, I might add), I will never buy one, I don't care how cheap it is.

The whole point of new technology is that it is supposed to be better than the technology it is replacing, and a conventional car can bring me from Galway to Cork or Dublin when I want to go, and when I want to come back, without needing to stop en route. EVs can't, plus they will run out much quicker on a motorway when you're travelling at 120, and my life is not so boring that I am going to travel at 100 or worse, 90 or 80 to get a few extra miles before I need to plug in!

I would happily consider a range extender once the prices come down a lot, and they make one that is good to drive though, like everyone else I would like to pay less to drive places!

The real reason the price of the Leaf is being dropped is because it is not exactly ripping up the rulebooks when it comes to sales - only 27000 of them have been sold worldwide since they went into production!

monkeysnapper · 17-04-2012 12:25AM

captainspeed wrote: »

As long as a Leaf has a 160 km range (on an extremely good day, I might add), I will never buy one, I don't care how cheap it is.

The whole point of new technology is that it is supposed to be better than the technology it is replacing, and a conventional car can bring me from Galway to Cork or Dublin when I want to go, and when I want to come back, without needing to stop en route. EVs can't, plus they will run out much quicker on a motorway when you're travelling at 120, and my life is not so boring that I am going to travel at 100 or worse, 90 or 80 to get a few extra miles before I need to plug in!

I would happily consider a range extender once the prices come down a lot, and they make one that is good to drive though, like everyone else I would like to pay less to drive places!

The real reason the price of the Leaf is being dropped is because it is not exactly ripping up the rulebooks when it comes to sales - only 27000 of them have been sold worldwide since they went into production!

But after say driving 150 km would you consider pulling in for 20/30 mins for a coffee and chocolate muffin and stick another 150 miles in the tank for the sake of saving a small fortune on fuel, ok can i ask another question on avarage how many miles do you do a day to say work and back , and how many times do you do a long run ie galway to cork ?

n97 mini · 17-04-2012 12:32AM

If it's €8k when it's 3 years old I'll buy one.

Anan1 · 17-04-2012 12:40AM

monkeysnapper wrote: »

But after say driving 150 km would you consider pulling in for 20/30 mins for a coffee and chocolate muffin and stick another 150 miles in the tank for the sake of saving a small fortune on fuel, ok can i ask another question on avarage how many miles do you do a day to say work and back , and how many times do you do a long run ie galway to cork ?

This is one i've often wondered about - how many people actually regularly need the range of an ICE, as opposed to just not wanting to give up the comfort blanket? I drive from Dublin to Galway and back a couple of times a month, and i'd happily stop for a coffee on that trip if it would make serious inroads into the €100 the round trip costs me in petrol. Apart from that, all my journeys are well inside the range of a Leaf. Unfortunately I do need AWD and a bit of poke, so it's not an option for me at the moment.

Bigus · 17-04-2012 01:10AM

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

Well this guy built his own BMW EV, I met him and he has quite a lot of experience.

http://www.evbmw.com/

I just thought I'd quote him on this

Thanks for the link,

Wow evbmw.com is some lad and local too, he's the future

Wheelnut · 17-04-2012 01:19AM

monkeysnapper wrote: »

But after say driving 150 km would you consider pulling in for 20/30 mins for a coffee and chocolate muffin and stick another 150 miles in the tank ...

You're mixing kilometers and miles. I doubt you would get 150 miles out of a twenty minute charge.

n97 mini wrote: »

If it's €8k when it's 3 years old I'll buy one.

No, when it's 3 years old someone will give you €8k to take it off their hands!

shedweller · 17-04-2012 01:55AM

Wheelnut wrote: »

No, when it's 3 years old someone will give you €8k to take it off their hands!

You do realise that not everybody thinks the same, don't you?

Jimbob 83 · 17-04-2012 02:12AM

Not a factor for me anyway maybe in 5 years time they are mainstream and im stealing children to put unleaded in whatever im driving

fasttalkerchat · 17-04-2012 02:17AM

Also another 5k oof if you buy up North http://www.dft.gov.uk/topics/sustainable/olev/plug-in-car-grant

Although the price up here is still advertised as 25K sterling... not sure if a drop is coming

unkel · 17-04-2012 02:19AM

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

With the Leaf having recently dropped to 25k, this puts it in the same price category as a Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion.

I wonder who gave you the inspiration for this thread

Game changer gets my vote. As long as the price stays 30k minus 5k subsidy. What's your estimate of the saving on fuel between a 50MPG diesel doing 16k km and an EV doing the same distance charged on night rate electricity? (calculations included would be nice)

Anan1 wrote: »

I drive from Dublin to Galway and back a couple of times a month, and i'd happily stop for a coffee on that trip if it would make serious inroads into the €100 the round trip costs me in petrol.

200km one way and petrol at €1.70 would mean 19MPG - that is seriously bad, are you driving like an absolute lunatic and / or way above the legal speed limits? I've never managed that kinda figure in any of my V8 petrols. And I have tried

fasttalkerchat · 17-04-2012 02:31AM

.

unkel · 17-04-2012 02:36AM

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

He said Round trip, so about 35 mpg.

Don't knock my maths until you've tried them

400km - 249miles
€100 - 58.8l - 12.95 gallons

19.2 miles per gallon

Leaf price drop - game changer?

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