RonDawg said:
As I mentioned earlier, the biggest obstacle to adoption of a Leaf (or any EV) is price. Not when you can get a Murano or even a Pathfinder for less money.
Let's not forget that this is also a country where the have/have not divide is even greater than it is in the US. It would be tough for a lot of people to even afford Nissan's cheapest new car in Mexico, the March (Micra). What more a car that costs multiples of that?
The only way I see Mexico going with EV adoption that anywhere resembles the US average (the whole country, and not just California) is to do what California/Norway/China have done is a combination of incentives and forced action. Urging manufacturers to offer a car that relatively few can afford isn't going to cut it.
Meh. Nissan is already making the Leaf readily available at a fair number of dealerships at cities throughout Mexico. This can be seen in just a few minutes of looking at the plugshare.com map:
https://www.plugshare.com
Examples, aside from the Mexico City area which is obvious:
In the state of Sonora alone, where Nogales is found, there are two larger cities than Nogales. Both have dealerships which appear to offer the Leaf:
Hermosillo:
https://www.plugshare.com/location/63830
https://www.nissangranauto.com.mx/modelos-nissan-es-mx.htm?type=electricos
https://www.plugshare.com/location/112735
https://www.nissannissauto.com.mx/modelos-nissan-es-mx.htm?type=electricos
Ciudad Obregon:
https://www.plugshare.com/location/95341
https://www.nissanobregon.com.mx/modelos-nissan-es-mx.htm?type=electricos
Here is another border town, albeit much larger in population, in another state, which appears to offer the Leaf:
Ciudad Juarez
https://www.plugshare.com/location/118452
https://www.nissanjuarez.com/modelos-nissan-es-mx.htm?type=electricos
I could go on, but it is not my intention to try to imply that the Leaf is very widely for sale throughout Mexico, nor that sales are going that well. In fact, if we look at a few of the plugshare.com entries, we see that in some cases that are not many recent reviews.
In theory the Leaf was announced for sale in Mexico 5 years ago.
https://nissannews.com/en-US/nissan/usa/releases/nissan-becomes-the-first-company-to-sell-a-100-electric-vehicle-in-mexico
Jun 4, 2014
Nissan becomes the first company to sell a 100% electric vehicle in Mexico
"...Initially, the Nissan LEAF in Mexico will be available for sale through Nissan's certified dealership network located in Mexico City.
"In addition, Nissan and the Government of the State of Morelos have taken the initiative to create the first electric corridor in Latin America that will be located between Mexico City and Cuernavaca...."
I don't quickly see information about Leaf or overall Mexico EV sales but as of 2017 overall EV sales appear to have been modest:
https://cdn.statcdn.com/Statistic/760000/763564-blank-355.png
So, I don't want to get into trying to say Mexico (which is an oil country after all) has some huge potential and there are all kinds of Leafs already being sold there, and I've already mentioned that the fact that the climate is relatively not much good for the way the Leaf is set up is a concern (though Nissan seems to be going ahead anyway). Still, if sales are going to be done there, and if the decision has been taken by local dealers in Hermosillo and Ciudad Obregon, then maybe a good next step would be Nogales.
Other points:
- A few years back the Tucson EV Association did a really good job of some teamwork and communication with EV Enthusiasts (Association Members?) in Hermosillo. The enthusiasts took the lead on some of the effort to convince the powers-that-be (whether the dealers and/or others) to offer Leafs there, and in the end the decision was apparently taken to offer Leafs there. I don't know if business has been good or not. So, part of what I have in mind is to suggest in a moderate way that Nogales also could be a candidate, as the next largest city in the state, after the two that already have Leafs for sale.
- At the Tucson EV Association we have talked a bit about the Green "Cactus Highway" extending in theory from Vegas down through Hermosillo. It's just a concept, but I find it helpful.
- Nogales, SON does have its share of issues. There is crime, poverty, poor infrastructure and the issue of haves and have-nots. I do think these things are relevant to mention. But I also think it's important that we not fall into the trap over over-simplifying and forming ideas just from a few shallow stories from national news. There is plenty to be said for it, including a University, its share of Maquiladoras, some good neighborhoods, and working professionals (Doctors, Dentists, etc.) who are just going about their business.
- It's a side point, but I like to look at the map of the country and see how the program by Grupo Posadas to install stations at its hotels throughout the country has helped put Mexico on the EV travel map. Here is the one hotel in Nogales, SON that offers charging:
https://www.plugshare.com/location/154486
Note that there is no hotel on the US side of Nogales that offers any charging.
Anyway, I don't want to over-emphasize this suggestion to Nissan because in the end there are drawbacks some of which have been spelled out here by me or others. But I do want to provide decent information on both sides of the suggestion.