High Initial Demand For LEAF

Nissan has been officially taking orders for its new all-electric game changer, the LEAF, for the past few days. In 65 hours is has received 6,635 customers sign up to reserve one. A $99 refundable deposit is required to reserve a LEAF.

Demand was particularly high within the first three hours as 2,700 eager beavers couldn’t wait to reserve one.

So far people from Tennessee, Oregon, San Diego, Seattle and the Phoenix/Tucson region in Arizona are the ones mostly signing up – exactly Nissan’s targeted market.

Nissan also added that they have introduced six other colours for the LEAF, should the standard blue you see above all over the internets not tickle your fancy. Oddly enough, green is not an available colour. Perhaps Nissan figured that would be a bit too cliche?

Audi Warming Up to That Electric Feel

“No one is going to pay a $15,000 premium for a car that competes with a (Toyota) Corolla. So there are not enough idiots who will buy it” -Audi of America President on the Chevolet Volt.

“They’re for the intellectual elite who want to show what enlightened souls they are” – Audi of America President on electric vehicles.

We’re not sure how Johan de Nysschen still has his job after making comments like that, especially since they are now proving to be immensely hypocritical.

Audi’s E-tron concept, an all electric sports car, will indeed make it into production for the 2012 year. The E-tron is supposedly only 88 pounds heavier than its gas engine twin the R8, so that combined with  309 horsepower electric motors means some serious competition for the Tesla Roadster.

The newly introduced A1 will also become electrified as it makes its debut at the Geneva Auto show. It’s going to have a Wankel range extender, so expect the little hatchback to do quite well for city driving.

With expectations of a Q5 plug-in hybrid and an A8 hybrid Concept already debuted, we guess Audi doesn’t think the Chevy Volt is for idiots anymore since both will cost a much larger premium for a car that gets worse mileage than a Toyota Corolla. We’re just sayin’.

Think next time you speak, de Nysschen!

Ferrari’s Future: Hybridized 599 Coming In 2015

Yes, we are aware that that is not the 599 you see above, but any opportunity to post the ridiculously good looking 458 Italia will be taken advantage of.

The 599 will be the model selected to get the hybrid treatment, but don’t expect it any time soon. 2015 is the projected release, and even that isn’t written in stone. The head of Ferrari Amedeo Felisa recently said of the 599 hybrid:

“The technology is not ready. The suppliers are not ready. Everything is underdevelopped. There is a lot of work to do. It’s not for tomorrow. We haven’t decided when (it will be introduced)”

While we are a bit disappointed in the 599 hybrid’s excessive delay, Felisa’s no-nonsense approach to being interviewed is appreciated. Just tell it like it is.

There are some people who aren’t so impressed at the idea of a hybridized Ferrari though. Ferrari’s are the epitome of performance not efficiency and any attempt to address the latter would likely compromise the former which is blasphomy in the Ferrari world. But the fact of the matter is, this new venture into efficiency is not an option for Ferrari, it’s a necessity or else its existence will fade away quicker than George W. Bush’s credibility.

But Ferarri has another trick up its sleeve.

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We’re All For Electric Vehicles but…

…there’s really no need to make them this ugly. Seriously, electric vehicles take enough criticism without the fake chrome hubcaps, ridiculous ninja turtle paint matched with red windshield wipers.

Appearance aside, high school students in Hawaii did a pretty good job of converting a 1995 Toyota Corolla. This was also their second vehicle conversion!

This electric Corolla has a top speed of 120 kph with a range of around 96 kilomtetres before needing to be recharged.

It sure beats our old high school projects…

BMW to Launch Two Efficient Compact Models by 2014

BMW is known for being the benchmark in many areas, specifically handing and performance, but not many people would consider the brand when it comes to efficiency or the environment.

Well it seems BMW wants even more accolades as it is trying to take the ‘Green Leader’ crown in the premium segment as they have confirmed production of a hybrid supercar. On top of that BMW finally has their awesome diesels for sale in both the 3 series and X5 in our market, they’re in pilot production stages of an all-electric Mini, they recently introduced an all-electric 1-series concept and now comes word that BMW will add two small cars beneath the 1-series. This new venture into the green territory is likely the result of new stringent efficiency standards, but if anyone can somehow match performance with efficiency, BMW is likely to do it.
Find out more about the new models after the jump
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Prayers = Answered. BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Going Into Production!

2013 is going to be a very good year.

Possibly the most innovative concept to come out in a while, BMW attempts the difficult task of combining power with efficiency. Also, BMW obviously couldn’t just stand by while their main rival Audi releases their all-electric E-tron.

The production version will obviously be a lot tamer than the concept you see, still, expect a shapely supercar like body.

What’s under the hood? Well, not what you’d might expect. It will reportedly feature a 3-cylinder diesel with a range extender and two electric motors. Sound underwhelming? Well the complicated hybrid set up will produce around 356 horsepower and a ridiculously insane 590 pound feet of torque!

There’s more good news. Vision EfficientDynamics will not be the name of the production version. BMW may be considering reviving the M1 moniker for it.  But really, they could call it pig-farter and we’d still buy it.
Check out more pics over at autoblog.