Nissan LEAF Wins Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award

Electric Car News | admin | October 5, 2010 at 12:10 pm

The Nissan LEAF EV has been named one of the year’s 10 breakthrough products by Popular Mechanics magazine.

Nissan will receive a Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award during a ceremony today at the Hearst Tower in New York City.

The Nissan LEAF was chosen as one of the year’s 10 most transformative products by a panel of experts in addition to members of the Popular Mechanics’ editorial board of advisers.

Popular Mechanics says of the Nissan LEAF: “It’s not the first pure EV, but the Nissan LEAF hits the mainstream like none of its predecessors. Powered by a 24-kilowatt-hour battery pack, the LEAF provides a 100-mile range, enough for most commuters, for the price of an average vehicle – and with a much lower operating cost than gasoline-powered vehicles.”

Nissan says that 20,000 U.S. buyers have already plunked down $99 deposits, and Nissan hopes to soon move 150,000 units a year worldwide.

The Nissan LEAF base price of $32,780 falls to $25,280 with a $7,500 federal tax credit. If you live in California, you qualify for a $5,000 rebate, which brings the price down to $20,280. Other states have rebates as well. Hawaii offers $4,500. Colorado provides $6,000. Washington State has a $2,000 sales tax exemption, Oregon provides a $1,500 tax credit and the State of Tennessee will offer $2,500 rebates