Leaf 'increasingly looking like a flop'
There, he said it.
Brad Tuttle at Time says the Nissan Leaf all-electric car is "increasingly looking like a flop" as it becomes clear consumers can't get past the car's limited range. Sales are way off last year's pace and trail those of competitors' high-profile hybrid models. Those trends are unlikely to force Nissan execs to make any drastic moves in the near term — too much pride and public money (in the form of a massive Energy Department loan) is on the line — but the long-term future of the Leaf matters big time to Middle Tennessee, and not just because Nissan Americas is headquartered here.
Starting late this year, the company's Smyrna factory will begin cranking out thousands of Leafs and battery packs — up to 150,000 per year if necessary. Those divisions of the factory complex will employ 1,300 people.
Ironically, shortly after we saw Tuttle's report, we received an email from a Nissan PR rep saying the company is "seeking to fill maintenance technician openings at its vehicle assembly and battery plants in Smyrna, Tenn., and at its vehicle assembly plant in Decherd, Tenn." Interested? Go here.
SEE ALSO: Nissan shuffles Smyrna lineup, plans first ever third shift
As a Leaf owner, I strongly
As a Leaf owner, I strongly suspect the owner satisfaction with the car is among the highest for any model. For that reason, the word-of-mouth marketing Nissan will receive over the next several years is likely to lead to slow but steady growth. The best way for people to become at ease with the range issue is to hear from their friends who use their car every day for everything except long trips. If you choose to live more than 30-40 miles from where you work, then the Leaf probably isn't for you. Fortunately for Nissan, most of us live much closer to work than that.