My Leaf is Invisible

[SteveInSeattle]

I've owned several new models that got a lot of street attention but what is really remarkable is how few people seem to notice the Leaf. I have even put the "Electric" chrome letters on the rear. So far in three weeks only one person gestured and spoke to me about the car. I guess it just looks like a generic asian sub-compact and blends in. I'm OK with that, I didn't buy it to show off, but it surprised me how "invisible" it is.

 

[palmermd]

Same here...only one person seemed to notice in two months.

 

[cyellen]

I thought that I was invisible too...but last night, I got a thumbs up from two different folks. Hang in there...

 

[TomT]

In three months, ditto. I've had a total of two people make any connection to the car in that time... Three if you count the one person who thought it was a tricked out Versa...

I've owned several new models that got a lot of street attention but what is really remarkable is how few people seem to notice the Leaf. I have even put the "Electric" chrome letters on the rear. So far in three weeks only one person gestured and spoke to me about the car. I guess it just looks like a generic asian sub-compact and blends in. I'm OK with that, I didn't buy it to show off, but it surprised me how "invisible" it is.

 

[lisaleaf]

I've had the opposite experience, people pointing, approaching me asking questions. 2 guys walking near SMUD, whipped their heads around and were pointing at my Leaf. I've noticed this mainly in non-freeway driving situations where people can look around a bit and not rear-end the car in front of them. Many have been Prius drivers that would be more interested in the car anyway. In freeway traffic, some drivers catch up to my car at a similar speed and check it out. I also think car color may make a difference...

 

[gbarry42]

I also think car color may make a difference...

Silver...blends in...

We've made up for it by pointing, stopping and examining, and in one case "chasing" one down to the beach and having an impromptu "meetup"--that one was leucadialeaf.

 

[davewill]

I think a lot of people are just learning that the cars exist. The new billboards have got to be helping, too. I got quite a bit of notice this last weekend.

 

[Lanzer]

Hmm, the amount of responses might be a measure of how much the population knows about the Leaf, or EV in general. The Leaf is made to look like a family car, so one need to actually have seen ads or read reports in order to know that this funky little car is re-defining the industry.

I haven't gotten the thumbs up, but I have seen many heads turn as I was greeted with grins and smiles. The second day I drove around, I passed by a cop car and the officer in the passenger side never stopped looking at the car with this approving look on his face.

Oh yeah, that giant "zEro emission" sticker on the side of the car definitely helps. So for those who got the many greetings and thumbs up, are you owner of the eco design package?

 

[davewill]

Oh yeah, that giant "zEro emission" sticker on the side of the car definitely helps. So for those who got the many greetings and thumbs up, are you owner of the eco design package?

Nope, but it is blue so it might be more recognizable as the car in the ads.

 

[Anonymous]

Part of me really likes this. In a way, it's a symbol to the "other" people that an EV CAN be a normal vehicle. It doesn't have to be a flashy weird or scarily different style of car, it just happens to be a normal car that is 100% electric.

When showing off the car to people, I always seem to get the comment of "Wow, this really is just a normal car, huh?" Sometimes "normal" is replaced with "real" which I find amusing.

I think it's a really important aspect to get EVs off the ground and get the general population understanding that they ARE a possible option as a common vehicle. Get some flashy ones (Karma, Tesla, Aptera [haha], Xebra) out there to get noticed and make a statement on that side, then get some normal types of vehicles like the Leaf, Focus, Rav4 to show that you can drive electric without being a show-off.

I've shown the Leaf to several people that felt "evs are cool and everything, but I'm just not interested", and after seeing and/or driving the Leaf they start thinking "hey, this really WOULD work for me!"

It's all a matter of perception, and we need EVs in all categories to help overcome those perceptions.

 

[turbo2ltr]

I notice a person looking once in a while, but not much. Thought the other day I was down the block from my house and a neighbor was getting into his Prius as I rolled by and I heard him say "hey that's a LEAF"...

I think he was jealous.

 

[maple]

We had our car for 2 hours, parked at a store on the way home with it, and when we came out of the store there were 3 men, two women and a few kids looking at it. Asked a bunch of questions, and wanted to watch us drive off, so they could listen to it. Fun! (Took delivery 5/21).

 

[thankyouOB]

prolly it is a good thing it is invisible or we would be getting many more complaints "to go faster" from folks like that first-time poster, earlier today.

I suspect it will become a bigger deal when we are all branded with the white stickers and cruising in the HOV lane.

exception below noted, for those who are not in the Golden State.

 

[maple]

Well, I'm from Oregon. What white stickers and HOV lane? I think maybe we don't have those?

 

[davewill]

Well, I got some negative attention this morning. I was waiting at a light to make a left turn woman in a BMW SUV waiting on my right to make the same turn (two left turn lanes). During the turn she cuts over the line in my direction, forcing me to brake and swerve. Naturally I honk...after all maybe she didn't see me. :roll: She starts waving and shrugging at me, and at the next light rolls down her window and asks me why I honked at her. I reply, "You were four feet over the line". She looks down at my pride and joy (the car, the car!) and says, "I didn't come anywhere near your micro-machine." She then speeds off with the green light.

I guess if you can't run over her car with your car, she doesn't see the need to share the road with you.

 

[rickbecker]

My LEAF gets recognition in certain parts of San Diego County and is invisible in others. On trips to the Hillcrest area of San Diego I have been given numerous "thumbs up" gestures from both pedestrians and other drivers. In East County my LEAF gets negative recognition because of my ECO driving at the speed limit on surface streets.

 

[Jimmydreams]

Well, I got some negative attention this morning. I was waiting at a light to make a left turn woman in a BMW SUV waiting on my right to make the same turn (two left turn lanes). During the turn she cuts over the line in my direction, forcing me to brake and swerve. Naturally I honk...after all maybe she didn't see me. :roll: She starts waving and shrugging at me, and at the next light rolls down her window and asks me why I honked at her. I reply, "You were four feet over the line". She looks down at my pride and joy (the car, the car!) and says, "I didn't come anywhere near your micro-machine." She then speeds off with the green light.

I guess if you can't run over her car with your car, she doesn't see the need to share the road with you.

Take quiet pride in the fact that she was probably disgruntled at having to put $90+ worth of gas at EVERY fillup to get her precious 20mpg.

Egos are the hardest thing to lose.....

(I say this as a former BMW owner)

 

[gascant]

I'm more in the "not getting noticed" camp, but then again, I'm silver and still waiting for a vanity plate. I was initially encouraged about getting noticed because, 30 minutes after taking delivery, I was parked on the street just outside a popular restaurant and 3 Apple employees came up to me and asked me about the car. But since then, nada. Of course, it doesn't help that I am totally focused on learning the car while I'm driving it :lol:

I'm guessing Red and Blue get noticed more, too.

 

[mark13]

I dont think anyone knew my Leaf was even electric until I put the graphics on..The first 3 weeks not even a remark from anyone..Then I put (100% electric) and (powered by the sun) on the back and (hypermiler) and the zero emission on the side and about 10 people aproached me on the Leaf..

Im actually getting the car ready for the car show circuit ..There is a big show in 4 weeks and i also plan on racing it in the grocery getter category..

 

[planet4ever]

Well, I got some negative attention this morning. I was waiting at a light to make a left turn; woman in a BMW SUV waiting on my right to make the same turn (two left turn lanes). During the turn she cuts over the line in my direction, forcing me to brake and swerve.

Now, wait a minute -- you were on the inside lane for the turn and she didn't end up behind you? I'm usually a pretty laid back driver, but if I had a chance like that to show up a BMW at a stop light I would have been long gone when she cut over.

Ray