It was hard to tell whether Christmas had arrived early or Columbus Nissan had been completely launched into an even further-reaching future Wednesday afternoon as customers and employees got their first glimpse of the automobile dealership’s latest offering: An all-electric car which carries a sporty look — and an equally ambitious price tag.

Don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard much about the new Nissan LEAF. The demo just rolled into Columbus Tuesday night, making Mississippi only the third state to carry what the automaker is touting as “the world’s first affordable, mass market, zero tailpipe emission vehicle designed for real-world needs.”

The model initially debuted in California last December as part of the U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored EV Project, which seeks to connect cities and drivers quite literally — by deploying electric vehicles in major metropolitans and providing the charging infrastructure to feed power needs.

Nashville received the LEAF in February, because the Music City is also the home of the Japanese automaker’s North American headquarters.

So how did Mississippi end up on the short-list for the Jetsonesque cars? That’s an obvious question with an easy answer, says Columbus Nissan General Manager Russell Street.

Mississippi was third on the launch roster thanks to Nissan’s $1.4 billion vehicle assembly plant in Canton, which began production in May 2003 and rolls out 400,000 vehicles a year.

Demo debut

The atmosphere in Columbus Tuesday night was somewhat of a cross between Christmas Eve and a debutante’s debut, according to salesman Patrick Castleman.

He has worked at the dealership for two years, and there’s always a bit of excitement whenever a new model arrives, but the boxy-sleek LEAF was something altogether different. It wasn’t just another car or truck, it was a completely new way of thinking — the future, wrapped in a package of steel and coated in brilliant silver.

The showroom and shop were empty shortly after closing time, but it wasn’t because employees had gone home for the day; it was because everyone, including Castleman, was standing behind the building, gawking at the new arrival.

Even at a price of $34,000 to $38,000, it will be an easy sell, two-year veteran salesman Castleman believes, especially once gas-conscious drivers learn of the car’s availability and specifications.

With a front-mounted electric motor, powered by a 24 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack tucked beneath the front seats, the LEAF is rated to travel up to 99 miles before needing to be charged. However, it takes approximately seven hours for the car to fully recharge, and at the moment, there’s not exactly a proliferation of charging stations around Mississippi.

The dealership has one (cleverly designed to mimic a traditional gas nozzle), and every customer who orders a LEAF is required by Nissan to have a charging station installed at their home — at an estimated cost of $1,200 to $1,500 — before they can assume ownership.

There is currently a 60 to 90-day wait time on delivery, but there’s a bright side to the sticker shock and delayed gratification: Buyers are eligible for up to a $7,500 tax credit.

Plus, the idea of never having to buy gas again is appealing, Castleman says. He’s even considering replacing his truck with the five-door hatchback. But he admits that though he likes the car, and he’s fielded a lot of phone calls about it, he’s anxious to hear more feedback from real-world drivers.

Test drive

Lonnie Boyd wasn’t so enthused with the idea Wednesday afternoon, but his wife, Wilma Boyd, was intrigued. The West Point couple has been buying cars from Street and Co. for more than a decade, so when they decided to go car-shopping for their 16-year-old granddaughter, Katie Morris, Nissan Columbus was their first stop.

They circled the car warily, peering in the windows, looking under the hood, and checking out the interior, with its push-button start and dash panel screen, which offers GPS services as well as navigation assistance, battery statistics and other information.

Wilma Boyd said the first thing she noticed about the car was its distinct lack of engine noise. They were looking at a Nissan Juke when the car drove onto the lot, and it was an instant head-turner. With escalating gas prices, she thinks an electric car would be a good investment, even with the relatively short travel range and long charging time.

“If we had one of these, you’d be calling me from Columbus or Starkville to come get you,” her husband teased.

“I think they’re going to be the thing of the future,” she replied firmly.

The LEAF was displaying 67 miles remaining when Street took it for a short spin down Highway 12. As he drove, he pressed the accelerator enthusiastically, noting the car’s zero to 60 mph in 8.97 seconds acceleration and 90 mph top speed.

“I can’t tell the difference between it and a gas car,” he said.

There is a slight engine whine on acceleration, but he believes that’s by intent, not accident. American drivers, steeped in a long tradition of growling under-the-hood power, want cars that feel — and sound — like cars.

He said while the short range could be an issue for high-mileage commuters, he expects Nissan to address those needs over time. In addition to the standard charging method, the car can also be “quick-charged” in 30 minutes using a special charger, but that’s not recommended for more than once a day. It can also be “trickle-charged” using a standard 110/120-volt outlet, but it takes approximately 21 hours to reach an 80 percent charge and isn’t advisable as the primary charging method.

As Street pulled back into the dealership, he glanced at the small crowd of around half a dozen people waiting beneath the canopy to take the next test drive. Within minutes, the silver car was headed back down Highway 12.

Whether the LEAF becomes a big seller in Columbus remains to be seen, but one thing is certain — it’s a good thing there’s a charging station on the premises, because it looks like the demo is going to be getting a lot of action over the next few weeks.

Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.

READER FAVORITES

• 

  Panola sheriff, wife sue Columbus Substacker for libel

  By Paloma Green • 1 day ago

• 

  Mr. Buddy: The empty chair at Pheba’s Diner: Remembering the town’s ‘true historian’

  By Braden Simmons • 1 day ago