What's the Cost of the Leaf?

The Nissan Leaf comes in two different models.

The standard SV version comes with the following features:

• The nav system with GPS/cellular based mapping and charge station locator
• Bluetooth handsfree phone system
• Cruise control
• Regenerative braking which engages the electric motor to slow the car during deceleration and charge the battery
• 16: allow wheels

What Does the Leaf Cost?
What's the Cost of the Leaf?

The MSRP for the SV starts at $32,780.

The SL version of the Leaf includes all the above SV features plus the following:

• A solar panel built into the spoiler to trickle charge the auxiliary battery (not the main drive battery)
• Review video monitor to see behind you while backing up
• Cargo cover
• For lights
• Auto on/off headlights
• HomeLink universal transceiver for remote control of charging and other settings

The MSRP for the SL model starts at $33,720.

Aside from the MSRP, you'll need to factor in the $2000 price tag of the home charging station, which is going to be a must-have for most owners. Charging from the standard 110v with an extension cord is neither practical or able to deliver a full charge.

So, adding in the cost of the home charger, and with a zero downpayment and five year financing, the SV with cost about $619/month, while the SV will be about $671.

There's also a three year lease option for both the SV and SL which comes in at $405 and $435 respectively with a $1999 initial payment.

Check out the Nissan price estimator for more information.

Of course, any discussion of the cost is incomplete without mentioning the federal and state tax rebates available.

The federal government is currently offering a $7500 rebate for vehicles purchased in or after 2010. Please note that this is a non-refundable rebate, so unless you own $7500 or more in taxes during the year of purchase you won't be able to take full advantage of it. Still, for most potential buyers, the federal rebate is going to represent a significant savings.

Many states are also offering rebates. This is far from a complete or fully up-to-date list, so please check with your state government for details. But, at the time of this writing, the following states offer rebates.

California is currently offering a rebate of up to $5000 for individuals and businesses. The rebate will theoretically be offered until 2015, but total funding is limited. As of March 31, 2011, $5,563,929 remained in the fund. So, it seems unlikely that the rebate will last until 2015 without further funding.

Colorado offers a tax credit of up to $6000 for purchase or lease of an EV until January 1, 2012.

Connecticut will offer free parking for properly registered EVs.

Florida will allow unlimited us of HOV or carpool lanes for EVs with a state issued decal. Property owners can also apply to their local governments for funding to offset the cost of installing a charge station.

Georgia offers a $5000 income tax credit for the purchase of an EV, and a 10% tax credit for the charging equipment, up to a maximum of $2500. The state also allows unlimited use of HOV lanes.

Hawaii is providing a rebate of 20% of the EV purchase price, up to a maximum of $4500 per vehicle. If a charger is purchased as well, the maximum goes up to $5000. The rebate should run until September 30, 2011, or until the funds are exhausted. As of January 1, 2011, there was $1,400,000 remaining in the fund.

Illinois did offer a rebate of up to $4000 toward the incremental cost of an EV, but the current fund is exhausted. As of this time, the state is working to amend the law to extend the fund, but currently no rebates are available.

Maryland offers a $2000 tax credit against the excise or sales tax imposed for the purchase of an EV.

Oklahoma provides a rebate of up to 75% of the qualified cost of installing EV infrastructure. This rebate will run until December 31, 2014.

Oregon offers a tax credit of up to 35% of the cost of an EV, but only when used in a trade or business.

Pennsylvania has an income tax credit of up to $1000 for the cost of an EV which will expire in December 31, 2011.

Rhode Island offers a non-refundable income tax credit of 25% of the federal rebate earned when purchasing an EV.

South Carolina has an income tax credit of 20% of the federal rebate earned when purchasing an EV.

Utah offers a non-refundable tax credit of up to $605 for the purchase of a new EV, which will expire on December 31, 2013.

Washington will exempt the purchase of an EV from state sales/use tax and other motor vehicle sales/use taxes until July 1, 2015.

The Battery for the Nissan Leaf

The batteries are built by a joint venture between Nissan and NEC.

The batteries weigh about 600 pounds, but are mounted in the low center of the car, under the front seats and rear footwell. This mounting location results in both a lower center of gravity as well as increased frame rigidity.

How Long Will the Battery Last?

The Leaf battery is guaranteed for 100,000 miles or eight years, whichever comes first. Nissan estimates they'll retain 70% - 80% of charging capacity for ten years, depending on the type of charging system used to recharge the battery.

For instance, frequent Level 3 charging (the 440v used for rapid charging) with an industrial source of power will reduce the capacity over time. So, if you regularly charge your Leaf from that type of source, as opposed to the 220v charger you'd install at your home, you might reduce the charge capacity to 70% or less in ten years.

nissan leaf review

To increase battery life and extend capacity, Nissan recommends the following:

• Try not to use the vehicle when the temperature is above 120 degrees fahrenheit for over 24 hours.
• Avoid using the car when the temperature is below -13 degrees fahrenheit for over 7 days.
• If you use fast charging (Level 3), try to avoid charging to more than 70% - 80%.
• Try to drain the battery to below 80% for recharging.
• Don't leave the car for more than 14 days where the battery will reach a zero or near zero state of charge.

Driving the Leaf in "Eco" mode will increase the use of regenerative braking, which means using the electric motor as a generator to charge the battery at the same time it increases load aids in deceleration.

The Nissan Leaf also includes an auxiliary lead-acid battery, which powers the car's computer and accessories such as the stereo, restraint systems, headlights and wipers. The more expensive SL model includes a solar panel integrated into the rear spoiler which charges the auxiliary battery.

Nissan expects these batteries to easily serve for 10 years. After that period, they can be used for storage applications such as solar power installations.

Nissan also expects an 8 to 10 percent increase in capacity every year, which can be used to either increase or reduce cost.

And, as a bonus for U.S. jobs, ground was recently broken on a Nissan plant in Smyrna, Tennessee which will manufacture the lithium ion batteries.

The plant is expected to build 200,000 batteries a year, which is 50,000 more than the nearby Nissan Leaf plant will produce. So, it looks as if Nissan expects good things for the EV market, and expects to sell the surplus batteries for other cars or applications.

It remains to be seen if the range estimates and charge capacity decline estimates from Nissan are accurate. Certainly, the temperature extreme warnings suggest that various environmental factors can effect battery charge and life.

The true test of the Nissan Leaf's battery will be real-world use by actual owners. Although all the evidence so far suggests the Leaf is a well manufactured and good driving vehicle, more mundane issues such as range, battery life, charging availability and general practicality as a consumer level vehicle will have to wait - probably for several years.

The Misery of Fleas

Once you've treated your pet for fleas, it's very important you get rid of the fleas in your home as well. This can be difficult if you have a bad infestation, but if you follow these simple steps and stick to them, you should be able to enjoy a flea-free home.

The first thing to do is gather up everything in your home that might have been exposed to fleas and which will fit in a washing machine. This can include pet bedding, small carpets, pet toys, throw pillows and the like.

Wash everything you can with detergent and hot water. Anything you can't wash you might want to consider throwing away, especially if it's likely to be infested with fleas.

getting rid of fleas

The Importance of Vacuuming

Next, you'll want to treat your carpets and floors. One of the best and easiest ways to do this is with your vacuum cleaner. Vacuuming alone will get rid of many adult fleas, as well as eggs and larva. It will also break up cocoons and make fleas more vulnerable.



Consider buying a flea collar and placing one in the vacuum cleaner bag before vacuuming to kill fleas that get sucked up. Move as much furniture as possible so you can vacuum those areas that aren't usually exposed.

The more you can vacuum, the better. Every day is ideal, but if you can't manage that, then shoot for at least every third day. There's no way to overstate the value of vacuuming in flea control. It eliminates fleas and eggs, and will also break up the pile of the carpet and allow any sprays you use to penetrate much better.

Flea Sprays and Bombs or Foggers

If you've got a particularly bad flea infestation, you're probably going to want to use some kind of spray on your carpets and furniture. As I mentioned before, the key to selecting the right spray is to find one that will control the pre-adult fleas as well as the adult ones.

The Knockout, Siphotrol and Adams brands of products are very good for killing adult and pre-adult fleas. Please see our helpful product guide for more information. We'll give you the ins and outs of each product.

In general, sprays that can be directed on the most problem areas are the most effective, as opposed to flea "bombs" or foggers that are set off before you leave your home. Bombs can work well too though, and they're certainly convenient and might be worth a try if your infestation isn't too bad.

Stay With the Program

By far the most important thing you can do to get rid of fleas is to stick with it. Even if you've treated your home and pets, and the fleas seem to be gone, don't let up. Eggs and larva may be laying in wait, and will hatch and force you to repeat the process all over again.

So, keep vacuuming, and keep treating your pet every month with the topical flea treatment you're using. If there's one secret to effective flea control, it's being consistent and keeping at it.

How to Kill Fleas for Good

For many pet owners, fleas and ticks pose a double threat of both annoyance and a very real danger to both their pets and themselves. In many parts of the country, ticks can carry diseases which can damage your long term health, or even potentially threaten your life.

Fortunately, many of the best products for flea control are quite effective for killing ticks as well. Frontline Plus, for instance, will kill ticks within 48 hours of application. That's twice as long as it takes to kill fleas, but still quite quick.

Frontline will also kill the ticks responsible for Lyme disease, an important feature if you live in an area where Lyme disease is prevalent.

While Advantage does not kill or repel ticks, Bayer does make a related product called K9 Advantix which is a similar monthly treatment for dogs that will kill fleas, ticks and mosquitoes.

Like Advantage, K9 Advantix comes in small vials for various sized dogs, and is applied between the shoulder blades. This product should not be used on cats, however, since felines are unable to metabolize the active ingredients.

Another topical treatment for use against both fleas and ticks is Revolution, made by Pfizer. As an added bonus, Revolution also provides protection against heartworms, which are a serious long-term health risk for dogs. As with Frontline and Advantix, Revolution is applied topically to the animal's back once a month.

If your dog is only exposed to ticks from time to time, you might just consider a medicated collar, such as those made by Virbac. These collars contain Amitraz, which is released slowly, and spreads through the animal's coat, causing ticks to become paralyzed and then fall off and die.

Another option for dogs that are exposed to ticks less frequently is a medicated tick shampoo. In this case, you dog can be bathed only after possible exposure to ticks, such as after a hike in the woods. Exposure to possible toxins is reduced, and only used when necessary.



Whichever product you decide on for flea and tick control, please be aware that ticks can carry diseases, such as Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, which can potentially be quite dangerous. Consult your veterinarian if you're concerned about your pet's exposure to fleas and ticks.

getting rid of fleas

One of the most important parts of effective flea control is getting rid of the fleas in your home at the same time you get rid of fleas on your pet. Doing one without the other is pointless, as you'll just see your pet and home re-infested. One of the most common places to find fleas, eggs and larva is in carpets.

The most effective and cheap carpet flea treatments is vacuuming. Vacuuming daily will suck up adult fleas, and also destroy eggs and larva. Try putting some diatomaceous earth, borax, or a flea collar in the vacuum cleaner bag beforehand. This will help kill live fleas that wind up in the bag, and prevent them from escaping back into your home.

First, any throw rugs or carpets that can be washed should be. The same goes for any pet bedding, upholstery, or pillows. Anything that can be effectively washed in your washing machine should be washed in hot water and detergent. This is one of the best ways to kill fleas at all stages of the life cycle.

Using pesticides on your carpet can be effective, but may leave a toxic residue you don't want. Other ways to treat your carpet is with a non-toxic substance that will scratch the fleas exoskeleton and cause dehydration. Diatomaceous earth, Borax and salt will all achieve this purpose.

If you have a particularly nasty infestation, and you want to try using insecticides, make sure you use one that also contains an insect growth regulator. Both the Knockout and Adams brands contain both.

Steam cleaning, either by a professional service, or with a home steam cleaner, is also very effective. Basically, you want to get the carpet as clean as possible. Once that's done, try to vacuum at least every other day, if not every day. Pay particular attention to the areas your pet frequents, and under chairs and sofas.

Don't forget to put something in the vacuum cleaner bag to kill the fleas and eggs that you vacuum up. Flea collars are effective, as are diatomaceous earth, borax and salt.

One of the best commercial remedies for fleas in your carpets you can find is called RX for Fleas Plus made by Flea Busters. This is a borate based powder which is sprinkled on your carpets, and kills fleas on contact and not with chemical insecticides.

As such, it's non-toxic and harmless to pets. This powder, combined with regular vacuuming and cleaning as described above is probably going to be one of the most effective programs you can undertake against fleas.

Vacuuming itself is about the best free method you can use to eliminate fleas in your home. Vacuuming will not only suck up adult fleas, but also breaks up pupa and prevents them from growing to adults.

Be sure to dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag properly by sealing it in a plastic bag before putting it in the trash. Keep to your program of regular vacuuming, and treating your pet for fleas, and you should be well on your way to being rid of your infestation.

But, please keep in mind that ultimately it's consistency that will lead to success. Don't stop after a week or two because the fleas seem to be gone. If you've had a bad infestation, keep at your program long past the time you think you're all done. This is the best way to ensure you're rid of the fleas for good.

How to Kill Fleas for Good

Flea eggs and larva aren't present on your pet, but in the carpet in your home, in bedding, and outside where your pet frequents. There's no point in killing the fleas on your pet if they're just going to be reinfested from eggs and larva in your home.

Treat your pet

There are many products these days that provide effective flea control for your pets. The easiest, and most effective, are the long-term oral and topical treatments, such as Program, Frontline, and Advantage. They're easy to apply, and generally provide long-lasting protection from fleas, often for up to a month per application.

These products are the most popular and effective way to treat to treat your pet for fleas. They're simple to apply, don't require messy sprays or powders, and work for up to one month. Regular applications of these flea control products will prevent re-infestation, once you've rid your pet and home of fleas.

These topical treatments are far more effective than traditional sprays and powders. They're also less toxic, and more localized to the pet being treated, as opposed to sprays which result in a toxic cloud being released into the air, in addition to on your pet.

For many people, applying any kind of chemicals to a pet's skin is unacceptable. Fortunately, there are many natural flea control remedies available, which don't use chemicals, but instead rely on essential oils and herbs to repel fleas. Garlic, brewers yeast, and eucalyptus oil are just a few of the natural flea remedies you can use. See our natural flea control page for more details.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently warned consumers about purchasing flea counterfeit flea control products. With the onset of flea and tick season, buyers need to beware of purchasing counterfeit and ineffective flea treatments.

The EPA has published a four-page pamphlet and Q&A which explains how to identify illegitimate products, and which types of products are most likely to be affected. Some of the most commonly counterfeited flea control products are the ever-popular Frontline and Advantage.

Here are some examples of what to look for when buying Frontline and Advantage.

how to get rid of fleas

Frontline:

• The lot number on the box matches the lot number on the individual applicators.
• An instruction booklet is included in the box, and includes first-aid information, emergency U.S. telephone numbers, directions for use, and instructions on how to store and dispose of the product.
• The applicator vial is child-resistant, and directions for opening are included.

Advantage:

• The applicator vials include an EPA Registration number.
• Applicator tubes include a reference to the labeling on the box for usage directions, and the manufacturers name (Bayer).
• Applicator tubes have an active ingredient statement that matches the ingredient statement on the box.

Counterfeit flea treatments can cause serious health problems for your pet. Please read the EPA warning carefully, and refer to it when purchasing flea treatments, especially Frontline and Advantage.

If you do find yourself in possession of counterfeit products, you can report the violation to the EPA by visiting this environmental violation page. There's no penalty for purchasing these products, and by reporting violators, you may very well help save somebody's pet.

The Best Way to Rid Yourself of Fleas

As we've seen, effective flea control requires that you treat your home as well as your pet. Flea eggs and larva aren't present on your pet, but in the carpet in your home, in bedding, and outside where your pet frequents. There's no point in killing the fleas on your pet if they're just going to be reinfested from eggs and larva in your home.

Treat your pet

There are many products these days that provide effective flea control for your pets. The easiest, and most effective, are the long-term oral and topical treatments, such as Program, Frontline, and Advantage. They're easy to apply, and generally provide long-lasting protection from fleas, often for up to a month per application.

These products are the most popular and effective way to treat to treat your pet for fleas. They're simple to apply, don't require messy sprays or powders, and work for up to one month. Regular applications of these flea control products will prevent re-infestation, once you've rid your pet and home of fleas.

These topical treatments are far more effective than traditional sprays and powders. They're also less toxic, and more localized to the pet being treated, as opposed to sprays which result in a toxic cloud being released into the air, in addition to on your pet.

For many people, applying any kind of chemicals to a pet's skin is unacceptable. Fortunately, there are many natural flea control remedies available, which don't use chemicals, but instead rely on essential oils and herbs to repel fleas. Garlic, brewers yeast, and eucalyptus oil are just a few of the natural flea remedies you can use. See our natural flea control page for more details.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently warned consumers about purchasing flea counterfeit flea control products. With the onset of flea and tick season, buyers need to beware of purchasing counterfeit and ineffective flea treatments.

The EPA has published a four-page pamphlet and Q&A which explains how to identify illegitimate products, and which types of products are most likely to be affected. Some of the most commonly counterfeited flea control products are the ever-popular Frontline and Advantage.

Here are some examples of what to look for when buying Frontline and Advantage.

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Frontline:

• The lot number on the box matches the lot number on the individual applicators.
• An instruction booklet is included in the box, and includes first-aid information, emergency U.S. telephone numbers, directions for use, and instructions on how to store and dispose of the product.
• The applicator vial is child-resistant, and directions for opening are included.

Advantage:

• The applicator vials include an EPA Registration number.
• Applicator tubes include a reference to the labeling on the box for usage directions, and the manufacturers name (Bayer).
• Applicator tubes have an active ingredient statement that matches the ingredient statement on the box.

Counterfeit flea treatments can cause serious health problems for your pet. Please read the EPA warning carefully, and refer to it when purchasing flea treatments, especially Frontline and Advantage.

If you do find yourself in possession of counterfeit products, you can report the violation to the EPA by visiting this environmental violation page. There's no penalty for purchasing these products, and by reporting violators, you may very well help save somebody's pet.

All About the Nissan Leaf

This approach also differs from the upcoming Chevy Volt, which has an auxiliary gas generator to provide power when needed. As of this writing, the Leaf is the only all-electric compact family car on the market.

All the reviews I've seen so far remark on the Leaf's great handling, due to both the low center of gravity as well as traction control. the Leaf also has great acceleration. All of the electric motor's 207 foot pounds of torque is available from a standing start. This is quite unlike a gasoline engine, where the torque increases with engine RPMs.

nissan leaf review

Charging of the battery is done in three different ways:

1. With standard, three-pronged 110-120v household current like you'll find in any home. This is not really intended for every day use, unless you drive less than 40 miles, but more for "topping off" while you visit a friend. Charging will take about twenty hours using household current.
2. What Nissan calls "level 2" and uses 220-240v, such as you would use for your electric clothes dryer in your home. This method requires a hard-wired charging dock be installed by an electrician, which is then connected directly to the Leaf.
   
   These charging docks are estimated to cost about $2000 to install, but this price may be offset by Federal tax rebates to some extent. Full charge from a depleted battery will take about seven hours using this method.
3. DC Fast Chargers, which require 480v and take only 30 minutes to add about 80 miles of range to your battery's charge. These chargers require industrial rated power supplies, so you won't find them in the average home or business.
   
   Most likely, the prevalence of DC Fast Chargers will depend a lot on the adoption of electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf. For most drivers at this point in time, one of the other two options is going to be much more practical.

The Leaf's official 100 mile range is just an estimate, of course, and will be effected by driving style, temperature, and other ambient conditions. Other factors, such as using the heating and cooling for the cabin or the head lights, will have a minimal impact.

The Leaf also uses regenerative breaking, which means during deceleration, the electric motor is engaged to generate current to charge the batteries, which also slowing the car. So, much of the energy you use to climb a hill can be recovered while going downhill.

The design of the Nissan Leaf is much like you might expect from a typical compact car, although much more modern looking. The front end is very low profile since there's no combustion engine, and the hood includes two unusual looking headlights. Light is produced by solid-state and very efficient LEDs, and the headlight design itself diverts the airflow off to each side to reduce wind noise and drag.

The Nissan Leaf also uses an advanced GPRS system similar to that used in cell phones to locate and track nearby charging stations that are within range and plot them on the built in map screen.

It also faces numerous challenges in overcoming buyers' prejudices regarding range and reliability. From what's been seen from the Leaf so far, however, the car is meeting those challenges and then some.