For some a 210 km commute to work and back might sound like a nightmare, but Steve Marsh, in the USA, has actually be awarded for it. The reason for his award? He drives a Nissan Leaf. In fact he has driven 160 000 kms in his Nissan Leaf and he claims to have saved over R90 000 in travelling costs already.
But will the Nissan Leaf work in South Africa? Marsh has the benefit of working in Washington, D.C, which has plenty of recharging points for the Leaf – here in South Africa the recharging network is limited to home and seven charging stations at Nissan dealers in Joburg and Pretoria. Granted, most people will find the 160 km range of a charge to be perfect for the home work commute, but longer trips without a suitable charging network would be impossible. Nissan has stated that phase 2 of their plan involves rolling out more charging stations around Joburg, near the Gautrain and airport especially, indicating that Nissan has big plans for the Leaf within the South African market.
So why are we still excited about the Leaf? Because this is pioneering green technology. With more and more people waking up to the dangers of air pollution and global warming, not to mention the ever increasing cost of petrol and diesel, demand for electric cars, such as the Leaf, are definitely going to be on the increase. Already the Leaf has sold over 80 000 units worldwide.
So, sure charging may be a hassle right now, but imagine if your daily commute cost you 16c per km?
