New Cars 2012: Nissan Leaf

I have always been somewhat weary of "electric" cars. For the most part, people misuse the term, and refer to hybrids as electric cars. It appears Nissan beat Chevrolet's Volt to market--and now more makers are joining the electric fray. While Chevrolet's Volt has been quite successful (I've seen probably ten or fifteen by now), Nissan's Leaf has been less so. To date, the only ones I've seen are at dealers.
Is it because the Leaf isn't practical? I'd say no; it's got five seats, it's a hatchback, and being a Nissan, it's going to be reliable. Leather is an option, it does come in funky, youthful colors (the Volt doesn't), but it does have two critical flaws. The first thing that lets it down is the range, and how its charged; unlike the Volt, the Leaf requires major modifications to one's house and electrical system. On top of the $35,000 price of the Leaf, an additional $2500 is used to buy the charger, plus the cost of modifications to your house--for nearly $40,000, you are blessed with a vehicle that cannot go more than 100 miles on a single charge, and has to be charged at specific stations-- meaning the Leaf is primarily suited for in-town driving only. The second thing that lets it down is styling. While the Prius is common now, it certainly wasn't when it was new. Same story with Nissan's Leaf; I don't find them ugly, but I know more than a few people who do. The Volt at least looks like a normal Chevrolet to the untrained eye.
I don't hate the Leaf--infact I quite like the idea of more and more alternative-energy vehicles. Since the Leaf is Nissan's first foray into the alt-energy market, I'll cut them some slack. The next generation is hopefully going to be better--if Nissan does indeed make one, considering how poor initial sales are right now. I know which alt-energy vehicle I'd buy if I had to, and it wouldn't be the Leaf.

New Cars 2012: Chevrolet Volt

I usually review a car after I've had seat time in it; but this is a little different. I heard all the hype about how dangerous these are, supposedly. But, ever since this past winter, these have caught on like wildfire. They're quiet, they move along quiet nicely, and after sitting in one at the auto show, I really have no complaints.
Equipped with a 1.4L gas four cylinder, and a battery-T giving a 350 mile range, the Volt seems fairly practical--and it is. Around town, it runs on the battery alone, hence its quietness. They really are "silent" cars, so to speak. The only noise these emit is the tires and road noise, and since these really aren't built for spirited driving, those levels are kept to a minimum.
GM has had many tries at producing a world-beating fuel-efficient car. Remember the J-Body? Yep, that was a "world car". The 1980s Opel Kadett, too, was a world car. Besides being sold as an Opel and a Vauxhall, it was also sold as a Pontiac Lemans for the US market. Now the Volt gets a crack at GM's famous strategy of rebranding. Sold as the Chevrolet Volt here in the states, it will be sold in Europe as the Opel Ampera, the Vauxhall Ampera, and the Holden Volt for Australia. So will it work?
So far, the Volt is outselling the Nissan Leaf by a huge margin. And unlike the Nissan, homes don't need a $25,000 charger built onto the existing electrical/box of the residence. GM has done its homework, and it shows.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Fisker Karma

I'm a big fan of new energy sources--and I'm a big fan of daring design; quite often, the two don't quite mesh. It appears that this is changing for the long term. Henrik Fisker got his first big break launching upscale, coach-built versions of BMW's 6 Series coupe and convertible, as well as competitor Mercedes Benz's SL-class coupe and convertible. He is also noted for his stunning Aston Martin designs, as heralded as one of the most exquisite designers for the famous BMW Z8 roadster, which I absolutely love. With his previous design experience, he set out to launch his own car company called--you guessed it--Fisker. The first vehicle is the electric/hybrid Karma sedan. While it does look polarizing in pictures, I have to say it does have street presence--and lots of it, I might add. Numerous people stopped to take pictures, so I guess that's a sign that the Karma is not necessarily a car-guy car. Everyone from mothers with kids, older people, and a few Guidos stopped to look at this "exotic beast" as one man called it.
















From the front, it's clear its got an Aston Martin-esque feel to it. The grille evokes spirits of mid '90s Aston Martin, with a slight hint of BMW mixed in for good measure. The headlights sit flush with the hood, a bit higher than normal, but the overall effect is pleasant--a nicely filled fascia that leaves no bare material--but it's also a fascia that could easily be marred by rock chips and parking lot mishaps.
Out back, the situation is a bit different; wide trunk, gunslit taillights, and a vast array of material. On the upside, this means the taillight damage will be minimal in a rear end collision should lenses be overly expensive. I do like the same diamond-airdam-diamond look that's repeated both at the front and rear, though. Rarely has doing repeat fascias worked so well.
On that note, I think the Karma is a daring car, but one that's needed. It's proof that green needn't be boring; would I own one? Not sure. Would I drive it? Probably. I like cars with class, cars that make people take notice, and the Karma does exactly that. High five to Fisker for creating a force to be reckoned with.