and yet it is completely tasteless designwise. what an ugly, ugly car.
tesla is doing it right, the fiat500e is beautiful - why is it so hard to understand that design matters? the new BMW i3 is not exactly beautiful as well.
tesla is doing it right, the fiat500e is beautiful - why is it so hard to understand that design matters? the new BMW i3 is not exactly beautiful as well.
Maybe Nissan did understand that, which is how we ended up with the Leaf. You spend $32K on a car that's saving polar bears, you want the world to know it. How am I supposed to feel smug if I'm driving something that looks like a Nissan Versa?
Contrast that to the Tesla Model S, which IMO is kind of bland (though I'd still buy one if we didn't have the Leaf). A buddy of mine recently said he hadn't seen a Tesla. In Redmond, WA? I guarantee that he saw at least one or two on his way to work at Microsoft that morning. But if one isn't in to cars much, a Model S isn't really going to stand out.
Wait what, I always thought the Nissan Leaf looked like an uglier Nissan Versa? Wikipedia says the prototype version was a Versa.
Personally, I've been confusing newer Volvos for Teslas a lot recently (both have the brand name written out in 5 letters across the back). The Tesla Model S looks reasonably nice, but like you said, it doesn't really stand out if you don't know what you're looking for. Personally I prefer that, if I were to buy an electric car I'd rather it look closer to normal.
In fact I saw more Ferraris than Tesla Model S. Without a doubt the Leaf is more noticeable and more popular.
I'm looking at you too, Prius.
People who buy alternative vehicles seem to cue in to "different" designs though. I always think of the 90's Prius vs. the 2000's Prius. The first Prius looked like an ordinary car; footnote in history. Most people don't even know it existed. The second looks distinct and a little weird; smash hit.
I've been wanting a car with the "futurist concept car look" for years, but they seemingly never progress to mass production. It's good to see that that's finally happening.
500 km (310 mi) in Comfort mode
600 km (370 mi) in Eco Pro mode
Electric range 35 km (22 mi)
The I3 more like the GM Volt (electric w/ generator).
On the bright side it doesn't catch on fire. </snark> Keeping aside the snark, it doesn't look that bad. The low price tag and the comparable look of Prius makes up for it. I think Nissan and Telsa are competing on different demograph within the same market. Nissan is going after people who think of cars as a utility and are looking to save some $$ on their daily gas expenditure. While Tesla is going after the people who prefer luxury, style and trend.
EVs on the other hand you, see them, you recognize something that ugly could only be an EV.
Besides the fuel economy that will hopefully pay for that investment over time.
Cars that shout "I'm saving polar bears!" may be needed to get enough early adopters but then hopefully the technology has enough benefits on its own that it becomes just another feature that people value for its own sake.