Nissan LEAF during a test drive. Click to enlarge
On March 26th 2011 Nissan held a test drive event for their all electric car, the Nissan LEAF at Franklin TN.
The Event
This was a source of disappointment. Nissan set up a series of tents on the Parking lot of their Headquarters in Franklin TN. It was a cold and damp day and the tents had no form of heat. Punters had to be content wearing multiple layers of clothes as they listened to a sales pitch and lined up to drive the LEAF’s. I had a 1pm appointment time scheduled. Other than quick registration, the appointment didn’t assure you of a place in line or any priority, one lined up with walk-ins. The ‘refreshment’ lounge consisted of a cup of instant coffee and a packet of cheez-its. It made me feel the event was done on a tight budget. The guy delivering information about the car and the logistics of the event was both upbeat and informative. He was the only spark of life I saw that day.
Nissan LEAF Battery Pack mockup - Click to enlarge
The LEAF reservation system
I am on the list of 20,000 people who have first refusal on a new vehicle. I have not taken advantage of this since I would never buy a vehicle without seeing it in person and have a test drive. I also Read the rest of this entry »
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