Shortage of Nissan Leafs expected to continue

[electricD]

just in case you were hoping for the opposite like me.

http://green.autoblog.com/2011/02/21/report-shortage-of-nissan-leafs-expected-to-continue/

Beginning to see my $99 dollar deposit as a loan that I should be charging interest to Nissan for. Hope ford does better with it's roll out because I don't think these delays are helping the image of EV's much.

 

[walterbays]

This is really just the same old news being passed from one article to another. It's really just three delays: 2) Production ramping up slowly at the new battery and Leaf plants. That was to be expected by everyone, except perhaps some Nissan rah rah PR flaks. 3) Japan not extending their EV incentives resulting in diversion of most of the US allocation to Japan while the incentives lasted. That was unexpected.

And the big one 1) The delay from November 2003 when GM crushed the EV-1's until December 2011 when Nissan delivered the first Leaf. I believe that is the delay that makes the delays of a week here and a month there so hard to take.

 

[electricD]

"I believe that is the delay that makes the delays of a week here and a month there so hard to take."

Maybe for you California guys but for the Tie 2 Group the Delay is a minim of 9 months (although we haven't really be told any firm date). I wish mine was only delayed a week and a month. Nissan simple way over promised and is way under delivering here in the US. Maybe the wordless Republicans will cancel the EV Credit here so we can get our cars sooner then the Europeans. :lol:

 

[walterbays]

for the Tie 2 Group the Delay is a minim of 9 months (although we haven't really be told any firm date). I wish mine was only delayed a week and a month. Nissan simple way over promised and is way under delivering here in the US.

True, everyone outside the initial launch states faces very long waits. And this time Nissan may not repeat the mistake of telling you how long they expect the wait to be. I think Nissan would do better to allow strongly motivated early adopters in other states to buy, with plenty of warnings and sales consultation about cold weather, lack of public infrastructure, lack of utility EV rates, lack of government cooperation with permits, etc. Sure a few such customers would fail, but most have learned and planned for all the problems, and would be great success stories and great advertising.

Maybe the wordless Republicans will cancel the EV Credit here so we can get our cars sooner then the Europeans. :lol:

Or maybe if we really wanted to speed things up we'd all grab shovels and hammers and go to Smyrna TN for a good old fashioned barn raising - um, I mean factory raising.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

i think the article is waaaay overblown. the delay was painful when it was still just talk. well, it aint just talk anymore!! the Leaf is REAL, its no longer a spec sheet. i have had mine for 5 weeks as of today and i am loving every mile of it!

trust me, you have waited this long, another few weeks or even a few months is nothing compared to the feeling of waiting for an Aptera or something that did not even know when, where or IF it would ever happen at all.

Trust me; u will not regret it

 

[tps]

Patience seems not to be the virtue these days that it once was claimed to be. I'm in the "forgotten 36", but even I will likely have my LEAF within a year (plus or minus a few months). Rather than focus on the fact that Nissan is not moving as fast as you think they should or you think they promised, why not focus on the fact that they, unlike any automaker before, are making a huge commitment to this technolgy. In a year all of this waiting will have blown over and thanks to Nissan's commitment to this technology, we'll all be driving and enjoying our LEAFs.

 

[Gonewild]

If it is of any hope mine will be here on Monday this week. I hear there will be a lot now they fixed what ever held my are for a month on the dock in LA. March and April should be good for those at the front of the line.

 

[LeafinThePark]

Patience seems not to be the virtue these days that it once was claimed to be. I'm in the "forgotten 36", but even I will likely have my LEAF within a year (plus or minus a few months). Rather than focus on the fact that Nissan is not moving as fast as you think they should or you think they promised, why not focus on the fact that they, unlike any automaker before, are making a huge commitment to this technolgy. In a year all of this waiting will have blown over and thanks to Nissan's commitment to this technology, we'll all be driving and enjoying our LEAFs.

Agree completely. I'm also in the forgotten 36 and I never expected to see my leaf anytime before fall 2011 at best but most likely late winter/early spring 2012. Looks like I will be safe with these expectations baring a major set-back. Based on what Nissan has put out in their official communications, they really aren't that far behind. I looked back and the email I received back in July said 'orders in your area will begin fall or winter 2011.

 

[copdoc]

I looked back and the email I received back in July said 'orders in your area will begin fall or winter 2011.

My "order" date is late summer 2011. But based on everything I'm reading here, expecting to receive the car within 6 months of ordering it seems like a pipe dream. (perhaps a "no-(tail)pipe" dream)

 

[LEAFguy]

just in case you were hoping for the opposite like me.

http://green.autoblog.com/2011/02/21/report-shortage-of-nissan-leafs-expected-to-continue/

Beginning to see my $99 dollar deposit as a loan that I should be charging interest to Nissan for. Hope ford does better with it's roll out because I don't think these delays are helping the image of EV's much.

Nissan will be operating at close to full production by end of next month. While perhaps not producing vehicles as quickly as you would like, by the end of this year, Nissan will have produced more EVs than any other manufacturer globally. When they do produce 50,000 per year (4,100 per month full production), these will provide for all global demands until Smyrna, Tennessee ramps up in late 2012 (150,000 per year capacity). Expect Nissan to provide more EVs than any other manufacturer in the United States for the foreseeable future. How many Ford Focus EVs have been produced so far? Ford's plan is to introduce the Focus EV in 2011. They have made no commitments as to volume of vehicles produced. Ford Focus EV is a nice looking vehicle but don't expect to see large numbers of them on the road any time soon.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

50,000 now, a half million in two years. that will be PER YEAR production figures. no one else has that in their plans. Nissan maybe a bit slow out of gate, but they look to be the ONLY ones out of the gate.

 

[hill]

Funny thing is how some folks respond. Some vindictively say (in essence), "I'll show nissan ... I'll buy a Ford ... instead". Yea, when ever it gets here. Gas is going up again, so I guess that means they won't be going out and buying a pickup or SUV.
.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Funny thing is how some folks respond. Some vindictively say (in essence), "I'll show nissan ... I'll buy a Ford ... instead". Yea, when ever it gets here. Gas is going up again, so I guess that means they won't be going out and buying a pickup or SUV.
.

ya, i have a few locally whining about the Leaf delays. heck one guy who also got a 2010 Prius (due to me) who is expecting delivery in april or may threatening to get a Focus EV....ya right. sign up and wait ANOTHER 14-15 months??

oh ya, like Nissan will miss his order. him dropping out only makes 49,999 waiting for the 25,000 Leafs that will be made in the next 6 months instead of 50,000 (that was estimated number of people who would strongly consider purchasing a Leaf this year. that poll was taken when that national average price for gas was $2.92 i am willing to bet that they are thinking about it a lot harder now than before)

 

[LEAFguy]

50,000 now, a half million in two years. that will be PER YEAR production figures. no one else has that in their plans. Nissan maybe a bit slow out of gate, but they look to be the ONLY ones out of the gate.

Dave - you are high on your numbers two years out. Smyrna (at full production) will produce 150,000 plus the 50,000 out of Oppama. And like Japan, it will take Smyrna time to ramp up. Sunderland, UK will start up in 2013 with annual capacity of 50,000. So once all plants are up in 2014, then we could see annual production of 250,000.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

ok i thought European would be 200K with 50 K in England, 150 in Spain....but either way, i think they will have found ways of boosting production when other EVs are out. i fully expect NEVs to make comebacks. granted, only 35 mph, but i think we will actually have ones that will really do 50 miles on a charge. plus EV SUVs and smaller 2 seater EVs for commuting only that are priced in the $20K after incentives range.