HOW wonderful - an electric car that actually looks like a car and even better, drives like a car.
Welcome to the Nissan Leaf - Car of the Year 2011.
Boasting privacy glass, 16-inch alloys, large front light clusters, electric folding exterior mirrors, black trim surrounding the door mirrors and windscreen, silver door handles, LED rear lamps and the blue Nissan emblem standing boldly on the boot, bonnet, alloys and steering wheel, the Leaf certainly looks like any up-market, four-door city car, but it’s so much more.
For this is an all-electric vehicle with zero carbon emissions that, despite its silent running, behaves like any normal car.
Admittedly distance has its limitations - 109 miles before a charge is essential and that range may be reduced depending on how the vehicle is driven.
But for anyone with an eye on the environment who needs a vehicle for short distances, the Leaf could be the ideal choice.
And there is green gadgetry galore greeting you once you take your seat behind the wheel.
The smartly designed dashboard offers an array of functions such as trees that grow and increase in number depending how you drive, a constant display of range in miles and kilometres, a guide to the nearest charging points and other such green initiatives.
Charging is a new concept that may take some time getting used to, but it is growing more popular by the day.
The Leaf takes about 12 hours to fully charge, but that can be reduced to eight if you fit a special power point to your home supply at an additional cost of £1,000.
Creature comforts are plentiful and include air con with pollen filter, automatic wipers with rain sensor, cruise control, electric parking brake, push start button, electric windows, a seven-inch colour touch screen display that houses the sat nav, a rearview camera to make parking simple, an audio system which is compatible with an iPod, MP3 player or USB systems, Bluetooth connectivity and quite a bit more.
In addition, there is the facility to control the temperature of the Leaf via a smartphone or PC and start and monitor the charging process via the same appliances.
Comfort levels are very good and there is ample room for four adults to travel in style. And the generously-sized boot can be increased thanks to split-folding rear seats.
The Leaf is powered by an 80kW electric motor and is driven via an automatic transmission. There are two driving modes - normal and ECO. The latter can help to preserve energy when gentle driving is possible, although initially I found the ECO mode was a bit like driving a normal car with the handbrake on.
There is plenty of power and acceleration at your disposal and the road-holding is very good. Needless to say, cabin noise is virtually non-existent and once you can get over the panic caused by watching your mileage range deteriorate, it’s an absolute dream to drive.
The Leaf boasts plenty of top-notch safety features too, such as anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution, electronic stability programme and six airbags.
One factor that’s proving quite a deterrent though is the price.
With the Leaf starting around the £25,000 mark including the Government’s £5,000 subsidy, it’s not the sort of car that you go out and buy on a whim. However, most deals are expected to come from leasing packages of about £365 per month.
All in all, the Leaf and its like could be our future and with oil prices continuing to soar, businesses with a watchful eye on the economy are being tempted by all-electric powered vehicles.
And with a better infrastructure and an increase in charging points, plus other incentives, the Leaf is the perfect option.
FAST FACTS
Nissan Leaf
Price: £25,990
Mechanical: 109bhp electric motor driving front wheels via CVT automatic gearbox
Max speed: 90mph
0-62mph: 11.9 seconds
Range: 109 miles maximum
CO2 emissions: 0g/km
Warranty: 5yrs/60,000 miles