What car manufacturer wouldn’t want to sell a car in America with a sticker EPA rating of 99 mpg?
But that’s exactly the number that the EPA has given the all electric Nissan Leaf. To be more precise the 99 miles per gallon (equivalent of course) breaks down to a 106 city/92 highway rating.
Of course the Nissan Leaf doesn’t use any gas at all, at least not directly from the pump, since it is completely and solely an electric car so you have to wonder how the EPA came up with a 99 mile per gallon mpg?
Nissan’s says the EPA uses a formula that translates 33.7 kWhs to one gallon of gasoline energy.
According to Nissan:
“This calculation is based on the EPA’s formula of 33.7kW-hrs being equivalent to one gallon gasoline energy. In addition, the label displays a charging time of seven hours on a 240V charge and a driving range of 73 miles, based on the five-cycle tests using varying driving conditions and climate controls. Driving range on the Nissan LEAF, as with all vehicles, varies with real-world driving conditions.“
“We’re pleased the label clearly demonstrates the Nissan LEAF to be a best-in-class option, reflecting that it’s a pure electric vehicle, uses no gas, has no tailpipe and has zero emissions,” says Scott Becker, senior vice president, Finance and Administration, Nissan Americas. “The label provides consumers with a tool to compare alternative-fuel vehicles to those with a traditional internal combustion engine and allows them to make an informed purchase decision.”
Nissan will official start selling the Leaf in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona and Tennessee in December. Sales of the car for the rest of the country are expected to start in 2011 with Texas and Hawaii getting the EV next.
Check out our exlusive Nissan Leaf first drive video review below as we take the Leaf through the rolling countryside of Tennesse.
Follow on twitter @TFLcar or watch latest car
review videos on YouTube.
