The race is on for the all-electric crown. The 2012 Leaf is Nissan's entry into this new automotive category. It follows hot on the heels of the Chevrolet Volt, which debuted in September.
The Leaf has a claimed range of 160 kilometres, about double that of the Volt. The Volt however, also has a gasoline engine as a back-up, which should allay fears of motorists of running out of juice when out for a drive.
But the payback is never having to step foot into a gas station ever again. Nissan claims it only costs $300 of household electricity to drive 20,000 kilometres a year.
Initially Nissan will restrict sales of the Leaf, which starts at $38,395, to qualified buyers who live within 65 kilometres of an authorized Leaf dealership.
Buyers in Ontario and Quebec are eligible for rebates of up to $8,500 but there are no plans for a similar incentive in B.C.
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Pedro the Car Guy: [email protected].
