Nissan’s Leaf to Tour U.S. Next Month

Earlier this year, Nissan brought a prototype of its electric car to the states (see review and video here).

Now it will bring the completed pre-production model of the Leaf to 22 American cities starting in Los Angeles on Nov. 13. The tour will conclude in February in New York City. 

Foghat will be the opening act.

The Leaf is the first in a series of electric town cars from the Nissan Renault Alliance. All electrics will constitute 10 percent of the company's cars by 2020, CEO Carlos Ghosn has said. The Leaf will be released next year for around $30,000, according to an early rough estimate. Nissan will likely vary the sales model. Consumers in some areas will be able to buy the whole car while in other areas they may lease the battery. Either way, the company's goal is to make the price of owning and operating an electric car, when rebates and tax credits are added, to come to about the same as the price of a regular gas car.

Ford, meanwhile, is touring the U.S. showing off the electric Focus it will release next year.