Nissan LEAF in Dubai, UAE

[TonyWilliams]

According to a dealer in Dubai, the LEAF arrives for the 2015 model year. If you believe what former Nissan employee Mark Perry said, it will have some type of battery Thermal Management System.

I also expect new chemistry and optional battery sizes.




Mark Perry, Director of Product Planning for Nissan North America. On August 3, 2012, he was reported to have said, "We've also been very transparent in making sure people know that battery capacity will degrade in very high heat – for instance, if the cars sit out in 110-degree heat for five hours a day." He was also quoted as saying sometime before January 25, 2010, "We don't need thermal management for the U.S., but we are looking at the technology for Dubai and other locations like that.... We've gone on the record saying that the pack has a 70 to 80 percent capacity after 10 years."

Here are some average temperatures:

........................Dubai............................................Phoenix........

May: avg high 100F avg low 76F......ave high: 95F, average low: 69F
Jun: avg high 103F avg low 81F....... ave high: 104F, average low: 78F
July: avg high 105F avg low 86F.......ave high: 106F, average low: 83F
Aug: avg high 106F avg low 86F......ave high: 104F, average low: 83F
Sept: avg high 102F avg low 81F.....ave high: 100F, average low: 77F

 

[RonDawg]

While Dubai's relatively compact size would be perfect for an electric car, I'm not sure how popular any EV would be over there, since petrol is only 49 US cents/liter ($1.86/US gallon).

Source: http://www.expatistan.com/price/gas/dubai/USD" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[TonyWilliams]

While Dubai's relatively compact size would be perfect for an electric car, I'm not sure how popular any EV would be over there, since petrol is only 49 US cents/liter ($1.86/US gallon).

Source: http://www.expatistan.com/price/gas/dubai/USD" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yes, oil is in fact that cheap because it is subsidized by the government. Cars are cheap, too, with no sales tax. So, there are lots of them.

But, don't you think that there are folks who would like to precool their car from the smart phone? Or, feel the smooth power of electric? Or not spend money on gas at all? Or not do oil changes?

Or not pollute?

 

[RonDawg]

I'm sure there are folks in Dubai who would love to be able to pre-cool their car from inside a garage, or are just plain eco-minded, but I suspect that's not going to be the driving force behind most EV sales. Economy of operation is.

Just look at here in the US, where gasoline is hovering around $4/gallon here in California. Not horrifically expensive as compared to say, summer of 2008, but adjusted for inflation, that's equivalent to $1.56/gallon in 1981 when I first got my driver's license, and I don't recall paying that much. Or it's 76 cents/gallon in 1973, a price that sent shockwaves through the US economy, and caused people to line up for hours for gas.

Yet, EVs still need a lot of government incentives to get the amount of sales that they are. While the Leaf is the world's best selling EV, and one of the top 3 in the US besides the Tesla and the Volt, Nissan moves far more Altimas and Sentras and Versas/Versa Notes.

Even in regions where gasoline is more expensive than here, EVs have been a slow sell. Canada for example, where it's priced above $5/US gallon equivalent. Or Australia, where petrol is as much if not more than Canadian prices, but the Leaf sells in paltry numbers. Or Europe, where fuel is frighteningly expensive; only Norway is the exception, but I understand that Norway also gives incentives for EVs as well.

 

[greengate]

I've been eating bacon and eggs for breakfast for 50 years and now you want me to stop and eat tofu and rice crackers?

That's a part of dilemma the electric car industry faces.

Old habits die hard.

 

[RonDawg]

I've been eating bacon and eggs for breakfast for 50 years and now you want me to stop and eat tofu and rice crackers?

That's a part of dilemma the electric car industry faces.

Old habits die hard.

Or especially "but what if I have to go somewhere all of a sudden and the Leaf can't get me there (or doesn't have enough charge to do so)?" I can count on one hand how many times I have had to exceed the Leaf's range in all of 2013.

But for lots of people, that sort of range anxiety keeps them from at least trying an EV, even if if meets 95% of their driving needs and they have easy access to an ICEV or hybrid for the remaining 5%.

When you throw ultra-cheap gas in the equation, it's not hard to fathom that an EV will have an uphill struggle for acceptance.

 

[TomT]

I've spend a fair amount of time in Dubai on work projects and the majority of the homes I visited had air conditioned garages...

I'm sure there are folks in Dubai who would love to be able to pre-cool their car from inside a garage

 

[evnow]

Remember UAE also has the "greenest" city - Masdar.

http://masdarcity.ae/en/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They also want to make Dubai a green city by 2020.

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/dubai-to-be-a-green-city-by-2020-1.1199879" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[renedarling101]

Nissa LEAF is a perfect car, I love to buy this car, just waiting for the beauty..

 

[TonyWilliams]

Nissa LEAF is a perfect car, I love to buy this car, just waiting for the beauty..

I suspect Tesla will be selling cars there before Nissan has the LEAF available. Are you in Dubai?

 

[TomT]

There is already a fair number of privately imported Teslas in Dubai...

I suspect Tesla will be selling cars there before Nissan has the LEAF available. Are you in Dubai?

 

[TonyWilliams]

There is already a fair number of privately imported Teslas in Dubai...

I suspect Tesla will be selling cars there before Nissan has the LEAF available. Are you in Dubai?

Yes, I saw one at the Dubai Mall a few weeks ago. I wonder if those are single phase chargers (North America spec) or rest of the world three phase?