It is official! The Nissan Leaf will come to the United States December of 2010. The Nissan Leaf is a full electric car that seats five. Finally, an electric car is coming out that does not look like a complete joke. Unlike the Smart Car, the Leaf is a full electric vehicle. Despite common belief, the Smart Car is not full electric. In fact, it is not electric at all. The Smart Car is entirely gas powered. What is smart about that? The fact is that the United States has had the ability to make an electric car for many years, but has neglected the responsibility for creating such a masterpiece. In fact, in many cases America’s oil corporations have halted the growth of our economy. Prices on gas are going up again in an attempt to get all the money left in our wallets before the Electric Car swoops in to save the day. However, the electric car is not for everyone due to its limited mileage, 100 miles per charge. This would only fill 95% of Americans needs. Electric car companies are working on the other 5%.
It is time that we use clean energy, clean fuel. At the end of 2009 there were approximately 246 million working cars in the United States. But is a car really working when it is destroying the environment. Cars exhaust pollutes the air. In some cities it has left permanent gray hazy fog. Car companies for years have been pushing their fuel-efficient cars, but use of cars is so excessive that fuel-efficient cars are still damaging the environment. I am not saying that fuel-efficient cars are not good. They are far superior to cars that are not fuel-efficient. However, at this current moment fuel-efficient cars are not as beneficial as electric cars. It is time that people just stop using gasoline in their cars. The Leaf will finally make the United States people independent from the unavoidable prices of gasoline.
The oil companies cannot hold us captive any longer. California Electric Standards state that the price of a full battery charge for the Leaf, which is equivalent to 100 miles per gallon, will cost 3 dollars. One gallon of gas costs 3 dollars, and at one time it cost 4 dollars. Quick charge stations will be set up to charge an electric car for 30 minutes. In 30 minutes 80% of the battery capacity will be filled.
I cannot wait until I purchase my very own electric car. My brother and I have signed a petition stating that we will not buy a car until car companies have released an electric car. Finally, an auto company has become so desperate that they will give the people what they want. No other car company has created a full electric car. They are holding out because at the moment they can afford to. American car companies have neglected to make an electric car. Japan stepped in and did the job for the world. Sure they have alternative motives, but all businesses look for opportunities to make money. Fortunately, for them they will control the electric car business. Hopefully this will tempt other car companies to come out with a full electric car giving the people more options.
The price of the Nissan Leaf will not be determined until April. The price is supposed to be like that of a normal new car, but who knows what a car company will do. The Leaf will be a success. The abundance of Priuses have increased dramatically in my own neighborhood and with news of an electric car there is hope for a brighter and superior future. The Leaf will be the first electric car of many if the United States citizens fight for what is right.
Want to see the commercial for the Nissan Leaf?
Sources:
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/12/nissan-leaf-electric-car-comes-to-new-york/
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/03/nissan-unveils-leaf-electric-car/
http://green.autoblog.com/2010/01/04/report-number-of-cars-in-the-u-s-dropped-by-four-million-in-20/
It is cool that a fully electric car has recently been released, however I don’t know if you know this but fully electric vehicles were released as early as the mid 1990s. There is a famous documentary based on the decline of the electric car called “The death of the electric car.”
Yes, I did. The movie is called “Who killed the Electric Car?” The first electric car was the EV and it looked like a a little sports car in my opinion.
I think it is sad that a very efficient electric car was made a very long time ago, but the gas companies bought the blueprints, and crushed the only existing car because they were greedy and selfish and didn’t car about our environment. They were only thinking of how they could make money.
Is the new electric car more expensive than the regular cars? because price can also be a factor in this. People aren’t going to buy the cars if it’s really expensive. Like how not a lot of people have a hybrid, even though it’s really fuel efficient.
The problem with people is that they don’t care what they are doing that is destroying the earth because they are selfish and think that whatever they are doing won’t affect THEM. they are only thinking about money money money. I have to admit that I am one of those people because I am still using a regular gas powered car and I’m not replanting the trees or anything, but if I could, I would ride my bike to school. But my parents don’t let me because they are afraid I will get hit by cars. Plus, sometimes I wake up late and am lazy.
Great post, Kay! Your blogs are always informative and well written. I remember reading a comment from someone saying that your points are right on and that they wanted to be an avid reader and commenter on your blog… but I never saw that person again. I just wanted to say that I agree with him. :]
Thank you so much Crystal for your spectacular comments!
What I think makes the companies actions so heartbreaking is that our nation, the United States, failed to provide the American people with a sound product. The idea that oil companies could corrupt the United States and be such a major influence on this nations actions is truly insane. So many wars have been fought over the much treasured “black gold.”
In answer to your question about price: The Leaf will supposedly cost the amount of an average car and eventually drop to lower prices. The sellers will not determine an exact first price until April of this year.
One good thing to remember is that for the extra money that you put into the Leaf will be saved in gas, because there is no gas. Its like looking at computers: One computer is ok and it is $730 it has less memory(40GB) and only a two-year guarantee that it will not break. Then there is your dream computer and it costs $920, but it has a lot of memory space(1900GB) and a 10-year guarantee. If you save up enough money you can get a proper machine. In reality the cheaper computer is not cheaper, because it is not efficient and doesn’t function for a long period of time. It ends up costing hundreds more.
If you can just save enough to by the right machine for the job than you will save a lot of money in the end.
The most important thing to take note of is that the Leaf is the first of many. Car companies have been sitting on their capability of building electric cars for years. Within a while there will be competition between electric cars and that will bring the price down. Car companies are already putting together their own electric cars waiting to swoop in and steal the market. They will not release their cars together, because that takes away from their business.
Once again, thank you for being so supportive!
When you say that the extra money is saved because you aren’t spending it on gas… well most Americans don’t comprehend that because they are living paycheck to paycheck and they don’t have all that money saved to buy a new car. They are also using money they don’t have by using credit cards, and that is why so many people are in debt.. but that is a different story.
Its the same thing for the computer example. While its true that the more expensive is better and possibly a better investment, but some people simply don’t have enough money to pay for a more expensive computer.
Gas and oil are running low and we are harming the environment when we are using it, but what about coal for electricity? If we started using electric cars, wouldn’t we delete the supply of coal? And isn’t that just transferring one problem into another? But I guess this is just a temporary fix, and better for the environment for now.
I think it would be the best if we would just ride bikes everywhere!! Or have a solar powered/ electric car, so on those non sunny days, the electricity can help boost the car. It will just be like fueling the car at the pump. But this time you are using the sun energy plus the electricity. Or have one of those belt thingies that transport you places, like in that one Pokemon movie. But I am just being silly now. :3
I get not having money and not being able to understand investments, or be able to invest any money in anything. The price of new cars is not directed to fit the budget of the poor. Nothing really is except for Del Taco with their 49-cent tacos, and fast food dollar menus. The world is an unfair place, but the Leaf is merely a first step. “In order to move forward you must take an initial step.” I like the joke about a man praying to God saying, “Please let me win the Lotto tonight.” He went on praying many times until he finally screamed out, “God, why won’t you let me win the Lotto?” God answers his cry, “You have to meet me halfway, buy a Lotto ticket.”
The American people have to try. They have to take a step forward. “The first step is the hardest.” But at this point in our lives we are experts at walking. First steps are not as treacherous.
From what you are saying I am implying that you are unfamiliar with alternative clean energy. Coal is not the only way to make electricity. You are right in the fact that we can use Solar Power, but you are wrong to think that things can only operate in the sunlight. Solar power can be stored in batteries, plus we have wind energy, hydroelectric, and thermo electric energy.
Now scientists are working on the Bloom box, which produces electricity. The Bloom box is essentially a few ceramic plates in a box filled with sand. Large Bloom boxes are already being used to power some major companies including Google. If you would like to know more about the Bloom box click on the following link.
http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2010/02/19/is-k-r-sridhars-magic-box-ready-for-prime-time/
P.S. What Pokemon belt thingy?
=) ~How do you make a winking smiley?
Thank you again for commenting! =)
Haha I like that joke. =]
Yes, I admit that I don’t know a lot about alternate energy, but I just said what I thought and I figured if I was wrong, you would correct me.
Ok, as long as the new energy doesn’t cause more problems than correct, then I am good.
In one Pokemon movie, people were moving around on mats that took them places, so it was like a conveyor belt. And of course, in Pokemon, they use flying pokemons to travel and they use bikes. I forgot the name of the movie, but all Pokemon movies are really good! (in my opinion.)
To do a winkie face you do ; and )
I love Pokemon too! Oh actually I think that I just realized what you were talking about. I was about to say that I had no idea what you were talking about and that I only saw three Pokemon movies, but now I think I know what you are talking about.
Thank you for commenting!