2011 Nissan Leaf

The first question most people ask when they encounter the 2011 Nissan Leaf is, "How does it drive?" It feels almost anticlimactic to respond with, "Like any other car," but that remains the most accurate way to describe life in a Leaf.

The 80-kilowatt electric motor is fed by a 24-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, providing the Leaf with 107 peak horsepower and up to 207 pound-feet of torque. While not exactly supercar territory, these numbers move the 3,354-pound Leaf from zero to 60 in 9.9 seconds. That's more than enough pep to keep up with traffic, particularly when combined with the Leaf's instant-on throttle response that's characteristic of an electric motor drivetrain.

Of course this sense of power is offset by the range gauge within the instrument cluster. A series of hash marks, accompanied by a large number that starts around 100 after a full charge (and drops immediately once under way), never lets you forget the Leaf's limited range and cumbersome refueling process. The onboard computer constantly monitors both battery status and driving conditions, and it will update the Leaf's range every few seconds to reflect city crawling or highway cruising (the latter eating up energy much quicker than the former).

This means that while the Leaf can hit 90 mph and cruises easily at 75 mph, a foreboding sense of ever-dwindling travel range dominates the driving experience. This can make even aggressive drivers think twice about goosing the throttle. And while the car's slippery exterior shape sports a mere 0.29 coefficient of drag, it feels downright irresponsible to travel at speeds above 70 mph when you see the range dropping faster than unemployment payouts.

Riding on low-rolling-resistance, 16-inch Bridgestone Ecopia tires and sporting electric-assist steering with a relatively quick ratio, the Leaf manages to feel at least as sporty as a typical economy car and far more interesting from a driver's perspective than a Toyota Prius. Credit some of this to the battery pack, which is mounted under the passenger floor and provides not only a low center of gravity but also a 40 percent increase in structural rigidity compared to a conventional five-door hatchback.

Of course, all of the above assumes the 2011 Nissan Leaf is left in its standard driving mode. A second mode, called Eco, reduces throttle response, increases the level of regenerative braking force and modulates the climate control system to save energy. Nissan says this can add about 10 percent to whatever range is left in the battery when Eco is engaged. We only tried this mode once and indeed noticed a subdued throttle reaction and aggressive (but not intrusive) regenerative braking force whenever we lifted off the go pedal. If you're looking for maximum efficiency, or simply want to ensure you reach your nearest charging station, keep Eco mode in mind.

source :  http://www.edmunds.com/nissan/leaf/2011/road-test2.html