Orders for Nissan Leaf electric car approach 4,000 Update: 6635 in the US till 23/4

[Matthijs]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international-business/Orders-for-Nissan-electric-car-approach-4000/articleshow/5843562.cms

TOKYO: Orders in Japan for Nissan's electric car have reached 3,754 in three weeks, more than half its target for the entire year, underlining growing consumer interest in the green vehicles.

Nissan Motor Co. is planning to sell 6,000 of the zero-emission Leaf electric vehicles in Japan during this fiscal year, which ends March 31, 2011.

The Leaf has been outselling the i-MiEV, the electric vehicle from Japanese rival Mitsubishi Motors Corp., which has drawn 2,000 orders so far.

In a departure from the usual makeup of electric vehicle buyers, some 64 percent of the orders for the Leaf are from individual consumers _ about a third of them 60 or older _ while 36 percent are fleet customers. Electric cars, still viewed by many as experimental, usually get more orders from government agencies and companies than individuals.

[aptera1213]

Cool. I wonder how many deposits Nissan received in the States from their preorder site?

Gavin

[Dolphyn]

I wonder if those are "real" orders with a genuine commitment to buy?

[DSC OFF]

I wonder if those are "real" orders with a genuine commitment to buy?


Either way it looks like it's safe to say there will be 6000 units on the streets of Japan in less than 12 months. :doublethumbs:

[futura]

Cool. I wonder how many deposits Nissan received in the States from their preorder site?

Gavin
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/04/strong-demand-nissan-leaf/

Given that more than 3,700 people in Japan have reserved Leafs, about 20 percent of the first year’s production is spoken for.

[Grendal]

Cool. I wonder how many deposits Nissan received in the States from their preorder site?

Gavin

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/04/23/nissan-6-635-customers-have-signed-up-to-reserve-a-nissan-leaf/

Looks like 6,635 so far.

[aptera1213]

Nice. Thought it might be more, but two things:

That is a nice start for a new, undriven car.
And that number could mean I would get a LEAF fairly quickly.
Thought I would have to wait till half way through 2011 or longer....with a good ramp up I might see my LEAF in the beginning of 2011. Sweet.

Gavin

[LTLFTcomposite]

The numbers will jump significantly if/when two things happen:

1) People start getting the cars and are happy with them
2) Iran mines the Strait of Hormuz

[futura]

The numbers will jump significantly if/when two things happen:

1) People start getting the cars and are happy with them
2) Iran mines the Strait of Hormuz

Agreed.
Checking the comments around the web, a lot of people think this 6635 number is disappointing. My own estimate was around 10,000. I based that on:
1) No one I know personally has even heard of this car
2) The 100,000+ "hand raisers" were likely made up of a lot of duplicate accounts (I had three).

So, I figured about 20% might opt for the $99 reservation. I think the emotionless design is a factor (Nissan has stated that they are departing from this in the next gen) coupled with a general lack of urgency due to consumer economy and gas prices are not scaring anyone yet. This vehicle is still niche-ville. Nissan should take this as a vote of confidence from the early adopters, not a victory over the auto-buying population.

[Matthijs]

If you look at twitter most comments are positive.

http://twitter.com/#search?q=Nissan%20Leaf

However, if you were one of the people with an itchy trigger finger Tuesday, don't count on getting your Leaf first.

[KarenRei]

Hey, they'd have more if they'd let people like me actually register! :P I found my old emails stating that they'd be sending me an email with reservation info, but found no emails providing reservation info. :P

[aptera1213]

Live chat...go now :)

Gavin

ps...since I registered fairly quickly the first day I assume I will be in the top 2 to 3 thousand. Sweet. Maybe I can get one by spring 2011. That would be prefect. Well having one now would be perfect...but....

[1051]

Is the leaf the size of a Civic or Accord?

[NeilBlanchard]

The Leaf is a 5 passenger car -- it is bigger than the Civic. It seems to be in the Accord/Prius size range...

[palmer_md]

The Leaf is a 5 passenger car -- it is bigger than the Civic. It seems to be in the Accord/Prius size range...
Accord is way bigger than a Prius. Prius and Civic are about the same.

[eestorfan]

If you look at twitter most comments are positive.

http://twitter.com/#search?q=Nissan%20Leaf

I would say that 'quote' about having an itchy finger is true ONLY if the person isn't in the initial rollout states. IMO, it will be 'first come, first served' in those states for 2010. They can base it on when the person signed up on their website (Nov. for me) or when they made a reservation.

[evnow]

Accord is way bigger than a Prius. Prius and Civic are about the same.

I posted this in the other forum too ...

Leaf is very close to Prius in size.

www.nctcog.org/trans/air/programs/evnt/NissanLeaf_Oct09.pdf

http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/4328/leafsize.png



http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/8208/leafsizecompare.png

[Matthijs]

I would say that 'quote' about having an itchy finger is true ONLY if the person isn't in the initial rollout states. IMO, it will be 'first come, first served' in those states for 2010. They can base it on when the person signed up on their website (Nov. for me) or when they made a reservation.

So overall it is still 'first come, first served'. When all Leafs are sold in the roll out states then if you signed up early in the surrounding states you would be first there. Pretty amazing reservation number when you realize their system wasn't without glitches and for a selected market.

[SlowSRT4]

So overall it is still 'first come, first served'. When all Leafs are sold in the roll out states then if you signed up early in the surrounding states you would be first there. Pretty amazing reservation number when you realize their system wasn't without glitches and for a selected market.
We don't know if it is first come, first served.

[Matthijs]

Then I will be interested how Nissan will handle the rollout.

[JimmyDreams]

We don't know if it is first come, first served.


I used the On-Line Chat window this morning and asked them about the rollout. The wanted my last name, email and zip. They then came back and said "You the process will be first come first served."

I am in San Diego.

I asked when we would know where we were on the list or when the list would be available. I was told "We do not have that information at this time. However, when we do receive that information we will email you."

Discuss.

[aptera1213]

What about people who move between now and December?

Gavin

[SlowSRT4]

What about people who move between now and December?

Gavin
Naturally, they will be SOL. :thumbsup:

[nogas]

This is great news for the Leaf! I see now it is up to 8k on order...