2011 Nissan LEAF

With the launch of Nissan’s Electric LEAF soon approaching, the question on everyone’s mind is: How can I get one? Well worry no more and look no further, because this article, proudly brought to you by Windsor Nissan, will give you all of the details on how to reserve and order your very own Nissan LEAF! First, before getting bogged down with tedious ordering details, I would like everyone to mark their calendars with May 15^th, 2010 – this is the date when the reservation system for the LEAF will be made available to the public.

In order to begin your reservation process you must go to the Nissan LEAF website at: www.WindsorNissan.com/LEAF.asp. After you go to the site you need to:

1. Create an account
2. Complete a New Driver Snapshot
3. Configure your Nissan LEAF in the New Driver Snapshot
4. Process your reservation fee using the reservation payment page (the fee is $99 and fully refundable)

*By following these four steps you will be able to save your place in line for the LEAF!

After your place in line has been saved, the real fun begins – ordering your LEAF! First, you will have to pick a Nissan Dealer, which should be Windsor Nissan, but this is a free country so you can make whatever decision your heart desires. Some Nissan Dealers are Nissan LEAF Reservation Certified, and some are not. After you have chosen the dealer (by the dealer, I mean Windsor Nissan) you would like to work with, you will receive an electronic notification from Nissan when the orders for the LEAF are open in your market (different regions will open at different times – the first of those markets will be open in August 2010 and yes, Windsor Nissan is in a launch market). The electronic notification from Nissan will prompt you to configure your LEAF and the sale price will be sent to you for your specific Nissan LEAF configuration. You will receive this information from our Nissan Electronic Vehicle (EV) Sales Leader (I am now writing under the assumption that you have decided in your kind heart to select Windsor Nissan as your EV dealer). This highly knowledgeable sales professional is John Lowenthal at Windsor Nissan. After you and John L. have confirmed your personal details, specific LEAF configuration and deposit, your highly anticipated order will be sent to the Nissan factory to be built. Nissan will keep you updated with monthly status reports on your vehicle, such as when your vehicle is being shipped to Windsor Nissan.  Also, John L. will be sure to hold your hand through the entire process as well.

The final part to reserving/ordering your Nissan LEAF from Windsor Nissan is preparing your home to be EV friendly.  Basically, you need to install the LEAF’s charging dock somewhere at your home. Your Nissan LEAF charging dock will be purchased through Nissan’s charging equipment vendor, AeroVironment (AV). AV will provide you with all of the information on the charging dock and they will send a licensed and qualified electrical contractor to your home for a physical assessment. 24 hours after the assessment has been completed, you will receive a detailed quote from AV explaining all of the costs to complete the installation. Oddly enough, this entire process is handled independent of the dealer, but I am sure John L. can still provide you with some excellent insight and advice. You can schedule this assessment right after you place your reservation (so before the actual ordering process). The standard cost of installing the Level 2 (standard) charging dock is approximately $2,000 (some are higher due to the age of the home, your electrical capacity, and the location of your home’s electrical panel). Once you schedule the installation of your charging dock, the contractor will obtain any and all required permits. The actual installation will only take 4-6 hours and the contractor will verify the charging dock is working properly via vehicle stimulator tool. Nissan recommends that you install the dock prior to delivery of your LEAF, to ensure you are able to charge your new vehicle (this should be done within two weeks of final delivery).

Before you know it, you will be enjoying life with no tailpipe, no emissions and no need for saving money to buy gas. You will be able to charge the vehicle regardless, but without the Level 2 (standard) charging dock, the charging process can take up to 18 hours when performing a Level 1 (trickle) charge via a conventional 110V outlet. While this level of charging is adequate for emergency use, it is not intended for regular use. Keep in mind, these charging standards are consistent for all EV manufacturers so this is not unique to Nissan.

Windsor Nissan is a Nissan LEAF Reservation Certified Dealer (in case you forgot), and we are happy to assist you in every step of the Nissan LEAF reservation, ordering and delivery process. You can become a part of history, at an affordable price, by purchasing one of the first, mass production electronic vehicles in the world from Windsor Nissan in East Windsor, NJ.  We are excited and honored to be a part of Nissan’s historical mark in the automotive marketplace, and are proud to be a part of the movement towards a greener America.

If you have additional questions, feel free to contact John Lowenthal directly at John.Lowenthal@MaguireAuto.com. Alternatively, you can reach John L. on the phone by dialing, 609-448-1411 at extension 105. Finally, be sure to check out and bookmark our Blog for up-to-date news and events surrounding the launch of the Nissan LEAF, www.MaguireAutoGroup.wordpress.com