My Nissan Leaf Forum

And that strategy, in my opinion, is a loser. You'll only continue to get 1/10 of one percent of the buying market.

Cars are getting more fuel efficient without being a hybrid. Because the article says things that some people don't want to hear, out come the typical comments about how the media "hates" electric cars, blah, blah, blah. The truth hurts. It sounds childish everytime ANY article states the facts of an EV. It DOES have a short range. It DOES take too long to charge for many. It does NOT have the needed infrastructure at this time. It IS priced high.

What do you think's going to happen to sales when reports of the Leaf getting substantially less range and having difficulty heating start to appear? You think that will seal the deal in the cold winter states? Look, I have been saying things like this months ago. It's easy to sell to the congregation. It's a lot tougher sell to the average car buyer. As the article stated, higher price, much more limited range, low fuel prices, and other cars at just over half the price will make it extremely difficult for those other than the converted.

And like it or not, the reputation of certain vehicles is reality. Fair or not. Why do you think the VW Beetle was resdesigned? Because it is a chick car. 70% are sold to women. That's the way it has turned out. You can say "I'm secure in my manhood" all you want. But the fact is, when a car gets a reputation, perception is reality. Adric22 makes very good points. The Prius now carries with it all that flowery baggage.

Nissan is earning a reputation because of these commercials. Will that be good in the long run? Time will tell. But I don't think it's a good strategy. I think it looks like Sesame Street. It will further cement the EV (at least this particular EV) as a fringe car for fringe people. And you can say that the Prius is now a good seller after ten years despite the advertisments. I would say that you they would have sold a lot more Priuses if not for the silly, if not downright weird commercials that have turned the car into the equivilent of a metrosexual. That's the perception.

No just plain old lazy reporting and blinders.

Since most car sales are demand constrained, they assume if the sales are low, it must be because the demand is low.

as to the pipeline, I am with TTweed. why build it to the ports in the gulf and not the refineries in texas and oklahoma, if it is for sale in the US?

Whenever gas prices get "high" (>$4), people flee large trucks and SUVs and thus their sales plummet. When they get "cheap" again, they flock right back to them. US auto execs have complained about their behavior since it makes it difficult to plan production and future products.

... Stop with the contrived, smarmy polar bear commercials and singing electrical outlets. It's silly, stupid, and makes people gag.

Stop with the ridiculous trees and leaves on the dash displays. Just make a car...that happens to be electric.

Cmon, LEAF? Really? The acronym is cringe inducing. That name needs a "kick me" sign on it.