2013 Nissan Leaf Edges Closer To Production In Smyrna, TN

[Phoenix]

<<snip, snip>> Anyway, I was worried they'd change the style of the lights, but it appears they kept the same style. So that is good.

Nissan's chief vehicle engineer (Kadota-san) was very proud of his headlight design solution and how it splits the air flow aerodynamically before it hits the side mirrors. So unlikely to change. (Read the original post about headlight change and also thought they meant style and not type of light bulbs inside.)

 

[cwerdna]

It's taking a DC charge in the photos, right?

Most likely. It looks identical to (or at least the same model as) the towable CHAdeMO charger/generator that I saw in Santa Monica at Alt Car Expo. I spoke to one of the workers who was using it to charge up a Leaf used for test drives.

 

[RegGuheert]

Click to open

Thanks for the link!

You know, it looks just like a LEAF with steel wheels! I'm actually glad to see that since it means they have not fully abandoned the 2011/2012 design with the 2013 changes. There should still be quite a bit of commonality, which means more common parts out there on the market for longer. It also means the potential to cannibalize newer parts for upgrades in the future.

 

[mkjayakumar]

As long as they don't change the hockey puck shifter, I am happy.. !

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

It's taking a DC charge in the photos, right?

IMO, Nissan should make the heat pump and DC charge port standard content across the range, and get more DC charge-points installed fast, if they want to move anywhere 10k LEAFs a month by the end of next year.

My guesses on list prices for the 2013 LEAF range:

The stripper "S" base with 3.3kW charger and W/O some (?) nav screen features: ~$27,499, or $19,999 less tax credit.

SL and SV, priced about same as 2012, but with the heat pump and a few other minor improvements, resulting in a slight real price decline.

The 6.6 kw L2 charger will be a ~$500 option on the SV, but may be standard on the SL.

so the announced target price of $31,000 is no longer valid?

 

[edatoakrun]

It's taking a DC charge in the photos, right?

IMO, Nissan should make the heat pump and DC charge port standard content across the range, and get more DC charge-points installed fast, if they want to move anywhere 10k LEAFs a month by the end of next year.

My guesses on list prices for the 2013 LEAF range:

The stripper "S" base with 3.3kW charger and W/O some (?) nav screen features: ~$27,499, or $19,999 less tax credit.

SL and SV, priced about same as 2012, but with the heat pump and a few other minor improvements, resulting in a slight real price decline.

The 6.6 kw L2 charger will be a ~$500 option on the SV, but may be standard on the SL.

so the announced target price of $31,000 is no longer valid?

Who announced the $31,000 price, for the "S"?

I missed it.

If that was an official announcement from Nissan, then in the immortal words of Emily Litella

never mind...

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

there has been NOTHING official from Nissan concerning any 2013 models, features or anything else. i am referring to one of the many articles THIS post is based on

 

[edatoakrun]

Nissan-Renault Goal of 500,000 EVs Sold By 2015 Gone. Now 1.5 Million By 2016

http://insideevs.com/nissan-renault-goal-of-500000-evs-sold-by-2015-gone-now-1-5-million-by-2016/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Well, it doesn't sound like Nissan plans to divert much of the ~150,000 BEV capacity at Smyrna to ICEVs...

Hideaki Watanabe, in the video below repeats the magic words, "...it's time to expand the quick charging system.."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kOGfvNeVb80" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I wonder if Nissan really gets it, the statements indicate Nissan really means it, this time, and if the dysfunctional US electric utility structure will be able to meet the need for public DC charge stations?

Because without a public DC network, or at least the assurance that there will be one someday soon, I don't think Nissan has a prayer of meeting it's US BEV sales goals over the next three years, no matter how low it prices it's LEAFs, Infiniti LEs, and e-NV200 vans.

 

[TonyWilliams]

there has been NOTHING official from Nissan concerning any 2013 models, features or anything else. i am referring to one of the many articles THIS post is based on

Actually, there's not much new that didn't "officially" become known from Mark Perry almost a year ago.

I doubt there will be even ONE change to LEAF that we haven't guessed at or known "officially".

 

[evnow]

These photos are of one of the PVT1 cars that were built about a month or so ago.

What does that mean ?

 

[cwerdna]

These photos are of one of the PVT1 cars that were built about a month or so ago.

What does that mean ?

(I'm not that familiar w/the acronyms as I've never worked on anything to do w/hardware/auto production but I've heard EVT, DVT, PVT, etc. before). I quickly dug up this:
http://www.datamath.org/Story/Phoenix.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[OrientExpress]

These photos are of one of the PVT1 cars that were built about a month or so ago.

What does that mean ?

PVT1 (Production, Verification, Test, run 1) is manufacturing speak for a pre-production prototype run of a product to get the bugs in the manufacturing line process rung out, train the assembly line workers, verify quality of assembly, and make some of the product so it can be tested to see if everything works to design. These products are usually a technically a high fidelity version of what the production product is supposed to be like, except for things like the final tooling of plastic parts, colors, and textures of pieces ,and the way that the car will actually be trimmed. In addition since a plant like the Nissan Tennessee one usually makes products for many different markets, a PVT test car, may not represent how a production car is trimmed (or may look like) for a particular market.

One last thing, since these vehicles cannot be sold to the public, after their useful life is done, they get sent to the crusher.

 

[LEAFfan]

These photos are of one of the PVT1 cars that were built about a month or so ago.

What does that mean ?

PVT1 (Production, Verification, Test, run 1) is manufacturing speak for a pre-production prototype run of a product to get the bugs in the manufacturing line process rung out, train the assembly line workers, verify quality of assembly, and make some of the product so it can be tested to see if everything works to design. These products are usually a technically a high fidelity version of what the production product is supposed to be like, except for things like the final tooling of plastic parts, colors, and textures of pieces ,and the way that the car will actually be trimmed. In addition since a plant like the Nissan Tennessee one usually makes products for many different markets, a PVT test car, may not represent how a production car is trimmed (or may look like) for a particular market.

One last thing, since these vehicles cannot be sold to the public, after their useful life is done, they get sent to the crusher.

Yep, that's what we were told about the LEAF tour cars at the LEAF Drive Event.

 

[philipscoggins]

It will happen eventually!

http://www.bizjournals.com/louisvil...0/nissan-expansion-creates-810-jobs-near.html

Philip

 

[Herm]

Hopefully Nissan will not put a temporary hold on the line like LG did with their battery factory in Holland, MI

 

[DaveEV]

Hopefully Nissan will not put a temporary hold on the line like LG did with their battery factory in Holland, MI

Luckily, Nissan does much more than just produce batteries at it's Smyrna plant.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Hopefully Nissan will not put a temporary hold on the line like LG did with their battery factory in Holland, MI

Luckily, Nissan does much more than just produce batteries at it's Smyrna plant.

so how is that battery plant doing? any product yet?

 

[Herm]

Luckily, Nissan does much more than just produce batteries at it's Smyrna plant.

I'm sure all they build at the battery plant is batteries, perhaps the workers can be resigned temporarily if they put a hold in.