What is the prioritization for the Leaf?

garygid said:

Probably means available in "at least one area of" each state?

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No, I think it means anyone wanting to buy one in any of the 50 states, will be able to.

You might have to drive a way to get to your nearest "Leaf" certified dealer, but they intend to make them available to all of us "early adopters" by the end of 2011, that's what I take it to mean.

I gather this since it then says "sales to general public" starting in 2012, the early adopters are important to them, to get the word out, and preach the EV mantra; though shall not use gasoline

Possibly, but sales to folks located more than 100 miles from a dealer might be perceived by Nissan as too problematic.

garygid said:

Possibly, but sales to folks located more than 100 miles from a dealer might be perceived by Nissan as too problematic.

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only in getting the Leaf home, which might have to be done via a tow truck or flatbed, we all know these cars are going to be nearly perfect, right? No need to visit the dealer very often... The first estimated service is at 40,000 miles to adjust/evaluate the brakes. As long as they don't have too many "Service Bulletins" needing firmware updates, or other recal type issues, you won't be visting your Nissan dealership all that often.

garygid said:

Probably means available in "at least one area of" each state?

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It might be a significant 'negative PR event' if in december Nissan would deliver only one car to each of the five initial roll-out cities.

That would be as 'funny' as some of the current banking commercials where kids collect a dozen Easter eggs then have the banker take all but one to pay for 'handling costs'.

Doing something like this is more in line with a General Motors "EVs are only a political fad and will go away as soon as well sell everyone on a Hummer" tactic rather than a company with the forsight to not only field an EV with Li-Ion when their peers were working in lead acid, but then keep the program alive for 17 years until they could be first to introduce a mass-market EV.

Nissan is no Aptera - and no GM either. And that's a good thing!

I stopped by my local Nissan dealer today and asked about the Leaf. The Sales Manager and a sales person were both going in the next month to training, along with two techs. A good sign. They were reasonably informed and made sure to mention that I should remember about the charging station I would need in the garage. Overall they seemed more interested and informed than I expected. They were not sure about delivery times, thinking they might get some in December, though I am sure that will not be the case. They mentioned February/March as delivery times for 'unreserved' cars....that is much faster than I would have thought as well. Also, they had received a call the day before from a woman who said she had also placed a deposit. For central PA, that is more than I would have thought at this time.

The pdf presentation says "by 2012" (not "in 2011") and does not say when in 2012.

daniel said:

I thought the "test group" and the "initial roll-out" were separate things, the former being a very small number of cars well before December, and the latter being a much larger number in December.

If the only people getting cars in December are those who were offered the opportunity to be in the "test group," and the others have to wait until the end of 2011, then they will lose me, because I expect to have something else by then. For that matter, if Spokane has to wait until the end of 2011 then they'll probably lose me. And perhaps it goes without saying that if any other freeway-capable 100-mile EV comes along before the Leaf comes to Spokane, then they'll lose me.

HEY JESSICA: Would you please clarify what cities will get the Leaf in 2010, and whether the "test group" and the December roll-out are the same or different? Thanks a bunch!

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The same for me, end of 2011 there will be other options and one might as well wait for 2012 when the pack may be different and there will be a clear view of the EV landscape and offerings. Nissan really needs to push out as many vehicles in 2010 to the early deposit holders as possible.

I suspect that 4700 (approx.) of the initial 5000 (or so) for December 2010 will go to the test groups in the initial roll-out cities. These cities are special because they will have charger networks installed for the test / initial cars to use.

Then, I suspect that the 5000 (or so) Leafs per month during 2011 will gradually go to increasingly larger areas as Nissan feels they have sufficient dealer and charger support. Nissan seems to indicate that sales will be "nationwide" by [sometime in] 2012.

I am hoping that "reserved' folks just outside these "chosen" areas will get a chance to buy their Leaf in the first couple of months in 2011. By August, we chould know a lot more about how the Pending Orders and Planned Production will match.

It is not clear when Nissan will "open it up" for random dealer sales, or when dealers will have un-committed Leafs on the lot to sell.

But, those reserving on 20 April (and slightly later) will presumably be in line before those signing up on-line starting next saturday (15 May).
Presumably the off-line dealer "signups" will somehow "mingle" with the on-line orders, but it is not clear who a dealer will be "required" to sell to.

I am hedging my bets by reserving on-line and making friends with my dealer.

garygid said:

I suspect that 4700 (approx.) of the initial 5000 (or so) for December 2010 will go to the test groups in the initial roll-out cities. These cities are special because they will have charger networks installed for the test / initial cars to use.

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I hope so too. But most likely, in the first month they will not sell 5K cars. There would be some ramp up in production, and the first month, I fear, they may have just a few hundred cars to sell - who knows ?

Then, I suspect that the 5000 (or so) Leafs per month during 2011 will gradually go to increasingly larger areas as Nissan feels they have sufficient dealer and charger support. Nissan seems to indicate that sales will be "nationwide" by [sometime in] 2012.

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What I've read is that Nissan is going to bring a couple of states every month in 2011, and by end of 2011 they will be selling nationwide. Ofcource they won't have 5K cars per month - since that is the WW production. May be they will have 3 K cars for US per month.

I did not know if the "rumored" 50k first year production was the presumed USA number, or worldwide total. Thanks