SilverSL
Member
Has anyone from the Phoenix area found a knowledgeable LEAF dealership? Are you going to wait until we hear more from Nissan or are you going to start pestering the local dealerships now?
Azrich said:A few weeks ago I wrote a "paper and envelope" letter to the store manager of the IKEA store encouraging them to contact the EV Project, also located in Tempe, to request that some charging stations there. When we go to Phoenix it seems we always spend several hours there. I haven't heard from them yet. I couldn't find any email address for the store. Any ideas?
Azrich said:Azrich here, from Tucson. Today I wrote an email, in their fill in the blank form, to the AZ Dept of Transportation asking them to consider a reduced registration fee for electric vehicles. If you think it could help go to https://wwwa.azdot.gov/contact_adot/index.aspx and send them a message.
Here is what I sent to them today:
Tucson and Phoenix are two of the eight U.S. cities where the Nissan LEAF electric vehicle will be introduced in December 2010. Nissan expects to sell about 1000 LEAFs by early 2012. This vehicle has zero emissions. Would the ADOT please consider reinstating the reduced registration fee for this new type of alternative fuel vehicle? The federal government is investing in the installation of hundreds of charging stations in Tucson, Phoenix, and the corridor between the two cities. I would ask you to please consider creating a special, lower registration fee for all 100% electric vehicles. Thank you.
SilverSL said:Azrich, thanks for the suggestion about contacting ADOT. I sent them the following and will post any reply I receive.
The Nissan Leaf that will start hitting our roads in December of 2010 will be a Battery Electric Plug-in only Vehicle. As such, it will have no internal combustion engine at all, and no exhaust pipe (zero emissions). Will there be a program initiated for this new class of vehicles that will encourage their early public acceptance? Possibly a program similar to what was offered to early adopters of hybrid gas/electric cars (Prius, Civic). Qualifying vehicles would be issued a special Alternative Fuel license plate affixed with a (PEV) decal. Vehicles that display the Energy Efficient plate would be allowed access to the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes regardless of the number of occupants. Also, these vehicles might be eligible for the reduced Vehicle License Tax (VLT). I would be interested to know if this is on ADOT’s agenda. I am considering buying a Nissan Leaf when they become available this December and an incentive plan would encourage me and others to adopt this new, cleaner technology.
Azrich said:Azrich here, from Tucson. Today I wrote an email, in their fill in the blank form, to the AZ Dept of Transportation asking them to consider a reduced registration fee for electric vehicles. If you think it could help go to https://wwwa.azdot.gov/contact_adot/index.aspx and send them a message.
Here is what I sent to them today:
Tucson and Phoenix are two of the eight U.S. cities where the Nissan LEAF electric vehicle will be introduced in December 2010. Nissan expects to sell about 1000 LEAFs by early 2012. This vehicle has zero emissions. Would the ADOT please consider reinstating the reduced registration fee for this new type of alternative fuel vehicle? The federal government is investing in the installation of hundreds of charging stations in Tucson, Phoenix, and the corridor between the two cities. I would ask you to please consider creating a special, lower registration fee for all 100% electric vehicles. Thank you.
Azrich said:Thanks to Gonewild for the link on the Nissan website.
Here are my calculations. Right?
LEAF SL = $33,720 times 1% = $337.50 (AFV assessed value)
$4 for every $100 assessed value = about $13.00 for the first year, $10.50 for the second year, and on down to the $5.00 minimum.
Not bad! That saves hundreds of dollars a year in license fees! Just another reason to buy a LEAF.
The link you posted was appreciated and provided some good information. However, without a legislation change the HOV lane benefit (Energy Efficient plate) will not be available for the Leaf. There are two related plates (Energy Efficient and Alternative Fuel). The Energy Efficient plate is simply the Alternative Fuel plate with a Hybrid sticker in the middle of it. No longer available, the Energy Efficient plates were limited to 10,000 and only available to Prius, Insight and Civic Hybrids. My recent question to ADOT was whether it was on their agenda to offer an HOV lane benefit to the Leaf (or other PEVs), to which they said no.Gonewild said:SilverSL see my link I posted will answer your questions. HOV etc.
SilverSL said:The link you posted was appreciated and provided some good information. However, without a legislation change the HOV lane benefit (Energy Efficient plate) will not be available for the Leaf. There are two related plates (Energy Efficient and Alternative Fuel). The Energy Efficient plate is simply the Alternative Fuel plate with a Hybrid sticker in the middle of it. No longer available, the Energy Efficient plates were limited to 10,000 and only available to Prius, Insight and Civic Hybrids. My recent question to ADOT was whether it was on their agenda to offer an HOV lane benefit to the Leaf (or other PEVs), to which they said no.Gonewild said:SilverSL see my link I posted will answer your questions. HOV etc.
Now that I re-read the STATE OF ARIZONA Electric Vehicle Single Occupancy HOV Lane Use doc at the link you provided, I am wondering if those 10,000 Hybrids that were issued the Energy Efficient plates are going to lose the HOV benefit as of July 1, 2010. “Effective Dates: Current benefit expires July 1, 2010”. It will annoy the heck out of me having to be in the same slow lanes with tailpipe vehicles once I get my Leaf and watch as single occupant Prius cruises past me in the HOV lane.
No disagreement there. My comment was about the HOV lane privileges.leaffan said:I'm sure you will be able to get a blue/AF plate here in Az.
SilverSL said:No disagreement there. My comment was about the HOV lane privileges.leaffan said:I'm sure you will be able to get a blue/AF plate here in Az.
Leaffan, I will send you a Private Message with my e-mail address and phone number in case you are interested in continuing this conversation. I agree, you will be able to get a blue AF plate for the Leaf, but not HOV lane privileges. (My opinion from what I have researched) The AF plates (with the sticker in the middle) that were issued to some CNG or to some Hybrids were part of HOV privilege programs to encourage early adoption of the technologies and can not be transferred to a Leaf. These programs were intended for limited quantities of applicants and for limited qualifying vehicles.leaffan said:Well, I drive NOW in the HOV with my blue plate so I don't see it being any different with the LEAF.
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