Nissan Invites 500 To Test First Production Leaf in Japan

Just the Facts:

• Nissan invites nearly 500 people to test-drive first production units of the Leaf.
• The test drive takes place through June 19 at Nissan's Oppama track in Japan.
• Leaf will feature Nissan's new "Approaching Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians" warning system.

YOKOHAMA, Japan — Nissan Motor has invited nearly 500 people, from government officials to customers, to test-drive the first production units of its new Leaf electric car at the company's Oppama track.

The test drive, which starts today and runs through June 19, is being offered as well to selected media, analysts and Nissan shareholders.

The production units at the test track will feature Nissan's new "Approaching Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians" system, which also will be featured in Japan this fall on the new Nissan Fuga Hybrid (to be marketed next year in the U.S. as the 2012 Infiniti M Hybrid).

In response to concerns that some pedestrians, especially those who are visually impaired, may not hear EVs, Nissan designed the system to "make it easy for those outside to hear the vehicle approaching, but the sounds do not distract the driver and passengers inside."

A series of sweeping high/low sounds are delivered through a speaker in the engine compartment and controlled through a computer and synthesizer in the dash. The system switches itself off when the vehicle speed exceeds 19 mph and re-engages when speed drops below 16 mph.

The Leaf goes into production at Oppama in October, with the first deliveries slated to begin in December to customers in the U.S., Japan, Portugal and the Netherlands. Nissan will roll out the car to other global markets in 2011-12.

A second Leaf assembly line should be up and running at Nissan's Smyrna plant in Tennessee in the second half of 2012, with a third line to follow in 2013 at the company's Sunderland plant in the U.K.

Inside Line says: We can envision a whole new cottage industry springing up to provide custom EV sounds, much like cell-phone ringtones. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent