Solid Nine. And that’s saying a lot, considering that most cars would probably average only a 3 or a 4.

What’s so great about the Leaf?

I had a chance to find out earlier this week when I stopped by the Nissan Leaf road show as it passed through my county. The Leaf is Nissan’s snazzy eco-friendly, all-electric car which means…it runs ONLY on electricity. It is NOT a gasoline-electric hybrid like the Ford Fusion or Chevy Volt, both of which I have also tested. The Leaf does not run on flex fuel or biodiesel or hydrogen or natural gas or anything other than electricity. It is truly gas-free.

Nissan had set up a big pavilion in the parking lot of the local mall to explain how the car works and then let people take it for a test drive. I was ready to be skeptical, since I drive a Prius (the original model, which I purchased in 2002), and love it. Instead, I fell in love with the Leaf. Here’s why.

Almost No Pollution: The Leaf’s motto is “100% electric. zero gas. zero tailpipe.” Because the car only runs on electricity, operating it generates none of the air pollutants that make smog, nor does it release the carbon dioxide that’s substantially responsible for climate change. It doesn’t even create noise pollution. In fact, the engine is so quiet, Nissan has had to build in a little “hum” to the system so you can tell the car is running!

It’s Very Zippy: The car can quickly reach speeds of 94 mph, according to the tour guides I met during my test drive (not that I ever drive that fast…). It’s also got a great turning radius so is very easy to park and maneuver, a plus in the city.

   It’s Made from Recycled Parts, and Can Be Recycled: For example, the seats are crafted from recycled soda bottles. Over 95% of the components of the vehicle can be recycled at the end of its life, including metal wiring, the car frame itself, tires, and other components.

It’s Spacious and Comfortable – With Convenient Cupholders: My Prius can feel a little small if it’s carrying five passengers or for someone who’s tall and sitting in the back seat. Plus, the cupholder for the back seats was flimsy and broke soon after we brought the car home. By comparison, the Leaf feels luxuriously spacious. And the cupholders – an important feature to many drivers – are built into the side of the doors rather than take up interior space on a central console. In addition, the hatchback trunk offers enough room for a bunch of bags of groceries or luggage if you’re traveling for a couple of weeks.

Covers Most Commutes: The Leaf has gotten a lot of publicity around the fact that it only travels about 100 miles on a single battery charge. But that’s plenty for most people, whose average daily commute is closer to 40 miles per hour. Plus, you can switch between a “drive” function and an “eco” function to extend the life of the battery if needed.

Charge at Home or at a Variety of Retail Outlets: No, you don’t have the convenience of pulling into a gas station to fuel your car. You can plug it into a regular outlet at home, though it will take 20 hours to charge using a common household socket. You can install a Home Charging Dock to reduce the charging time down to 7 or 8 hours, but it’s expensive: around $2,000. You can also plug it in at an increasing number of retailers, including Best Buy, Walgreen’s, Cracker Barrell, and others. Unlike with a cell phone, you can partially recharge the battery at any time and it won’t undermine the integrity of the battery.

Lots of Cool Aps and Online Tools Help You Get the Most Out of Every Charge: An iPhone Ap lets you turn the car on remotely or check how much charge you have left. An online mapping function lets you plug in all your day’s destinations and let you know how much charge you need to cover the distance.

What are the Downsides?

No Spare Tire:  As someone who’s had several flat tires over the years, it makes me nervous that this car does not come with a spare tire and the gear to change it. If I bought the car, I’d buy a spare tire and I guess I’d just have to keep it in the hatchback, but that would take up space I’d rather use for cargo.

It’s Relatively Expensive: At between $32, 700 for the standard model, and $35,200 for the upgrade (which includes a back-up viewfinder on the car’s interior console and solar panels on the hatchback for additional charging capacity), it’s pretty pricey. Even with federal tax credits of up to $7,000, the car will still cost almost $30,000. That’s cheaper than the upscale Tesla that George Clooney drives, but a lot more expensive than the current Prius after the same tax breaks.

Availability: Right now, all the 2011 Leafs are spoken for. If you want this car, you’ll have to order the 2012 model this fall and put down a $99 refundable deposit.

It’s Made in Japan: Right now, the Leaf is only made in Japan. The company is building a plant in Smyrna, Tennessee to manufacture the batteries for the car. Ultimately, said the reps,the company would like to build the entire car in the U.S., but it’s not made in America yet.

Charging Takes Time: As noted above, if you use a regular household plug, it will take 20 hours to fully recharge; if you want a faster charge, it will cost you a couple of thousand dollars to install a charging dock.

Bottom Line? I think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. If you generally travel less than 100 miles per day and can take advantage of state and federal tax credits to lower the price, consider the Leaf.

NOTE to Nissan – When I asked a guy from the road trip demo team what amount of state tax credit U could add to the federal tax credit, he was singularly unhelpful and simply suggested I go home and check online. Why not have a list of tax credits available in every state the road trip stops in to give consumers as much info as possible about the cost savings available for a purchase of this magnitude?

 WANT TO SEE MORE TEST DRIVES?

Test Drive the New Chevy Volt With Me

Ford Fusion Hybrid: Good Choice for Family Looking for High MPG

Comparing Hybrid Cars, The Honda Civic Came Out on Top for My Dad

Zip Car Comes to the Rescue (And Saves Me a Lot of Money)

Looking for Gas Saving Tips? Get Beat High Gas Prices Now: The Fastest, Easiest Ways to Save $20-$50 Every Month on Gasoline.

The post My test-drive of the all-electric Nissan Leaf – On a scale of One to Ten, I give it a … appeared first on Big Green Purse.

The problem isn’t just “foreign” oil. Using any kind of fossil fuel to meet our transportation needs is a losing proposition. Drilling for oil wrecks the planet, or have we already forgotten the Gulf Oil disaster? And burning oil generates climate-changing carbon dioxide and nasty particles that create asthma-inducing smog.

If you’re in the market for a new car, take a look at electric options like the Chevy Volt or Nissan Leaf. Gas-electric hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius or Ford Fusion merit consideration, too. Aim to buy the most fuel-efficient vehicle in your price range; this site maintained by the U.S. Department of Energy, will help you compare your choices.

But most of us can’t just go out and buy a new set of wheels (unless they’re on a bicycle). These ten tips offer the fastest, easiest ways you can save gas and money, no matter what kind of car you drive.

1. Drive smart – Avoid quick starts and stops, use cruise control on the highway, and don’t idle.

2. Drive the speed limit – Remember – every 5 mph you drive above 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.10 per gallon for gas.

3. Drive less – This should be a no-brainer. Walk, bicycle, use a scooter or moped, combine trips, and telecommute to work.

4. Drive a more fuel-efficient car – Consider one of the new hybrids; at the very least, choose from among the EPA’s “Fuel Economy Leaders” in the class vehicle you’re considering.

5. Keep your engine tuned up – Improve gas mileage by an average of 4.1 percent by maintaining your vehicle in top condition.

6. Carpool – According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, 32 million gallons of gasoline would be saved each day if every car carried just one more passenger on its daily commute.

7. Use mass transit and “Ride Share” programs – Why pay for gasoline at all?

8. Keep tires properly inflated – Improve gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Replace worn tires with the same make and model as the originals.

9. Buy the cheapest gas you can find – Buy gas in the morning, from wholesale shopper’s clubs, and using gas-company rebate cards. Track neighborhood prices on the Internet.

10. Support higher fuel-efficiency standards and the development of alternative fuels – Ultimately, our best hope for beating the gas crisis is to increase fuel efficiency while we transition to renewable and non-petroleum based fuels. Endorse efforts to boost average fuel efficiency to at least 40 mpg. Support programs that promote research and development of alternatives to transportation systems based on oil.

If you do want to get rid of an existing vehicle, here’s how you can recycle it.

The post Top Ten Ways to Use Less Gas appeared first on Big Green Purse.

NAIAS is showcasing what it calls the most recent advances in automotive technology at Detroit’s Cobo Center through January 24th.  Although NAIAS is featuring plenty of gas guzzlers, it is also highlighting dozens of electric, hybrid, and fuel-efficient vehicles.  On the ground floor, a 37,000 sq. foot exhibit called the “Electric Avenue” has been devoted solely to electrics.

Here are the highlights:

Chevy Volt

Price: TBA estimated $30,000-$40,000

Production Begins: 2010

Although the Volt appeared as a concept car previously, Chevrolet’s much-hyped hybrid electric is on display in anticipation of its launch later this year.  Drivers can travel up to 40 miles per charge on the Volt’s electric battery before the car switches to gasoline, at which point the car can go up to an additional 600 miles without a refill.  Personally, I believe the Volt is a game-changer.  Why? Click here to see what I told Fox News.

Nissan LEAF

Price: TBA, estimated $25,000-$30,000

Production Begins: 2010

Unlike the Volt, the LEAF is greener because it’s an all-electric car with no gasoline back-up system.  However, this benefit doesn’t come without a tradeoff: it can only travel 100 miles on a single charge, making the LEAF better suited for local drives rather than long-distance road trips.

Tesla Model S

Price: $49,500

Production Begins: 2011

The Model S gives the consumer a choice of three battery options, providing driving ranges from 160 to 300 miles between charges.  While the hefty price tag may place the Tesla out of reach for many middle-class consumers (like me), if you’re already in the market for a Lexus, Mercedes, or even a very flashy Camry, get your name on the Tesla list instead.

Honda CR-Z Hybrid

Price: TBA, estimated $25,000

Production Begins: 2010

Honda finally unveiled the production version of this vehicle after debuting the concept design years ago.  Two different transmission options will be available: 6-speed manual or the more fuel-efficient Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).  However, the fuel economy is somewhat underwhelming even with CVT, topping out at 36 city/38 highway miles per gallon.

Toyota FT-CH

Price: TBA

Production Begins: TBA

As the next member of its hybrid vehicle “family,” Toyota showed off the FT-CH as a lower-priced alternative to the popular Prius.  Intended for younger consumers, the FT-CH is also lighter and more fuel-efficient than its big brother.  The price and date of availability are unknown because it debuted as a concept car. Stay tuned.

As excited as we are about the development of electric cars, their price is not for the faint of heart. Consumers who buy these cars right now are doing so because it’s a smart way to save gas, improve national security by way of consuming less oil, and help reduce air and water pollution. You may not be financially ready to order a Tesla yet, but George Clooney has. Thanks, George.

If you’re interested in checking out the NAIAS cars for yourself, view a schedule of upcoming auto shows here.

You can also review EPA’s list of most fuel efficient vehicles here.

The post How Green are the Cars At the 2010 Auto Show? appeared first on Big Green Purse.