Nissan Leaf Electric Car--Zero Emissions, No Tailpipe

Good article on the Nissan Leaf electric car, www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car , in Automotive News, June 21, 2010 by James B. Treece. The article states that the Nissan Leaf advertising will focus on the vehicles zero emissions and that the marketing communications will focus on the fact that the Nissan Leaf does not have a tailpipe.

Nice marketing strategy. Photos of the Nissan Leaf show the back of the vehicle, highlighting the fact that there is no tailpipe. Other electric car manufacturers, selling competing vehicles, have front or side shots of the vehicles, while many of the Nissan Leaf photos show the vehicle from behind. This is a differentiator for the consumer. The Nissan Leaf strategy focuses on zero emissions, while the other manufacturers seem to be focused on styling.

The article goes on to note that more than 14,000 people have paid $99 to reserve a Nissan Leaf and that 90% are new to Nissan.

Another article in Automotive News, dated June 9, 2010 by Hans Greimel, noted that the first 6,000 to reserve the Nissan Leaf were in Japan and that an additional 13,000 in the U.S. have paid their $99 to reserve a vehicle.

Either way, the reservations alone have exceeded the first year production estimates of 10,000 units and that is without first driving the vehicle. The consumer has spoken.

The Nissan Leaf electric car has arrived.