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The Nissan Leaf, an electric car aimed at
attracting environmentally conscious motorists, will get the
equivalent of 99 miles per gallon in combined city and highway
driving, based on government testing.


      Nissan Motor Corp. said Monday the Environmental Protection
Agency's fuel efficiency window sticker, which provides information
about the car's energy use, would estimate the electric car will
achieve the equivalent of 106 mpg in city driving and 92 mpg on the
highway.


      EPA's tests estimate the Leaf can travel 73 miles on a fully
charged battery and will cost $561 a year in electricity. Nissan
has said the Leaf can travel 100 miles on a full charge, based on
tests used by California regulators.


      Nissan and General Motors Co. are both releasing electric cars
within weeks in the auto industry's most prominent attempt at
mass-producing vehicles that shift away from petroleum. The Leaf
does not have a gas engine and must be recharged once its battery
is depleted.


      GM's entry, the Chevrolet Volt, uses an electric battery for the
first 25 to 50 miles and a small gasoline tank to create an
additional charge for another 300 miles. GM has not yet revealed
the mileage rating for the Volt.


      Mark Perry, Nissan North America's director of product planning
and strategy, said the vehicle's range would vary based on driving
conditions. Tests conducted by the Federal Trade Commission, which
regulates advertising claims, had estimated a range of 96 to 110
miles per full charge and the company's internal tests had found a
broader range of 64 to 138 miles, Perry said. The California Air
Resources Board estimated a range of 100 miles.


      "As we've said all along, your range varies on driving
conditions, temperature, terrain and we've talked about, very
openly, this idea of a range of ranges," Perry said in an
interview. The Leaf's label will indicate the vehicle is the best
in class in fuel efficiency and tailpipe emissions.


      Nissan will start selling the Leaf in California, Washington,
Oregon, Arizona and Tennessee in December with a sticker price of
$32,780. The Leaf will go on sale in other markets through 2011 and
be available nationwide by the end of next year.


      The Volt will have a sticker price of $41,000 and GM will sell
it first in California, then make it available in New York; New
Jersey; Connecticut; Washington, D.C.; Michigan and Texas. The car
will be sold nationwide in 12 to 18 months.


      Both vehicles qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit. Some
states and communities are offering additional tax breaks that will
lower the price further.


      GM spokesman Greg Martin said the automaker was working with EPA
and expected to announce details of the Volt's mileage estimates
soon.

      EPA calculated
 the Leaf's fuel economy based on a formula that
says 33.7 kilowatts per hour holds the energy equivalent of one
gallon of gasoline. The label estimates a charging time of 7 hours
on a 240-volt charge. Cost estimates were based on 15,000 miles per
year at 12 cents per kilowatt-hour.
      

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The Nissan Leaf, an electric car aimed at
attracting environmentally conscious motorists, will get the
equivalent of 99 miles per gallon in combined city and highway
driving, based on government testing.


Nissan Leaf runs equivalent of 99 miles per gallon

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