Nissan Kicks Up Rhetoric in Leaf/Volt Battle update from September 2009

In a Retort to General Motors Co.'s news its Chevy Volt extended-range electric vehicle would get 230 mpg (1.0 L/100 km), Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. fires back that its Leaf all-electric vehicle will achieve 367 mpg (0.6 L/100 km).

“Nissan Leaf = 367 mpg, no tailpipe and no gas required. Oh yeah, and it'll be affordable too!” Nissan boasts.

With both vehicles set to take their U.S. bows in fall 2010, a top Nissan official is speaking out about why the Leaf offers a better choice for consumers than the Volt.

“We honestly believe we're leapfrogging the competition with this product,” says Larry Dominique, Nissan North America Inc. vice president-product planning.

The Volt is “a great execution of a range-extender hybrid, but it's not (a) zero-emissions (vehicle),” Dominique says.

Plus, the added cost of the two powertrains in the Volt will inflate the price of the car and keep it out of reach for many consumers, he says. The Volt is expected to be priced at about $40,000, while Nissan estimates the Leaf's cost will be $25,000-$33,000.