Import US Leaf to Isreal

[gadyamit]

This topic is argent as the ministry of transportation today replied "NO" to my import request.

AS much as I know technically the differences between the US model and the European is very small if any.
I have purchased model LSV as it state on the title. The car is just waiting (in NJ) for the approval!

I think that I should be able to prove that the differences between European to US version is
Tiny if any, but I have no Idea how to it...

I wish I could contact Nissan to explain the actual differences.
Maybe I should compare technical manual of the two side by side UK and US???

Any suggestion?
I do need help! Please.

 

[RonDawg]

When you say "LSV" do you mean the Leaf SV (mid-range) model? Also, what year is it? If it's a 2011 or 2012 model, proving similarities to an EU-spec model might not be difficult, as all Leafs prior to 2013 came from Nissan's Oppama plant in Japan. But if it's a 2013 or newer, things are tricky, because US/Canadian cars were built in Tennessee, and EU-spec cars were built in Sunderland, UK.

The cars may look identical, but already there are significant differences between the early Japanese cars, and the later US cars. I suspect there are regionalized differences in the UK-built cars for the European market, to meet Euro crash standards which are not quite the same as the ones in the US.

Even if the car comes from the same plant, cars bound for different countries may be built to different safety standards. In this story, it's been reported that cars built in Mexico, but intended for the US or Canada, are fitted with safety features that are not included in the same cars bound for Mexico or the rest of Latin America: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/money/2013/11/29/safety-standards-in-cars-manufactured-in-mexico-depend-on-where-theyre-headed/

 

[gadyamit]

Hello and Thanks,
This is December 2013 model... so I assume that you right regarding the Tennessee plant. And YES I know EU cars were built in the UK.

BUT does it mean that the car is NOT The same? The Transportation Ministry in Israel allow US cars to be imported to Israel provide that parts are available. I assume that it should be very similar (from obvious reasons). But I need to convince the authorities that the charging system can be used should be the same I think, and most parts are just the same.
I assume that knowing that ICE cars are imported to Israel means that the safety issue should NOT be the most important issue.
I still hope to find a way to compare technical specs so that I may be able to convince them, I already own the car so it is a very big issue for me. I would love to drive that car.

BTW it does say LSV on the title have NO Idea what it means.

As I wrote I still hope to get some answers to shoe how similar the cars are.
Thanks
Gad

 

[gadyamit]

I also found the following related post
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=12416&p=440095#p440095

 

[taloyd]

Hello,

One of the biggest differences between US market vehicles and European market vehicles is that US are designed to maximize safety:

* when the vehicle collides with ~another vehicle~

* regardless of whether or not the driver/passengers are wearing a seatbelt

European market vehicles are designed to:

* minimize damage ~to pedestrians~ when struck by the vehicle

* have the airbags be as safe as possible for occupants ~who are always wearing a seatbelt~

There was an excellent Planet Money (radio show that's wonderful) about this.

Basically: the above differences are mostly mutually exclusive: a car can EITHER be more safe to hit another car OR a person - but not both. An airbag can be optimized to protect an occupant who IS wearing a seatbelt or ISN'T but not for a case where SOME of them do and SOME of them don't.



I'm guessing all the EVs that showed up when Better Place crashed and burned have all been snatched up already? Those were a good deal.

Best,
Tal