Reserve a Nissan Leaf in April, Buy One in August

NEW YORK — Nissan released details on the reservation program for the 2011 Nissan Leaf electric vehicle today. Sources close to Nissan tell us pricing will be released in late March or early April. The company will begin taking reservations shortly afterward, and official orders start in August.

Nissan also confirmed today that the Leaf will be sold or leased to customers as a single package — car plus lithium-ion battery pack — in the United States. Nissan had said earlier that it planned to lease the battery pack separately to reduce initial costs. This could make it more expensive to buy or finance a Leaf in the U.S. compared to other markets in the world.

If you decide to reserve a 2011 Nissan Leaf, you'll be asked to put down a $100 deposit, which Nissan says is fully refundable. The company says 50,000 people have already registered at NissanUSA.com to receive information on the Leaf, and they'll be given priority during the registration process. During an exclusive Inside Line editorial in November, Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn detailed his company's aggressive electric-car strategy.

If you stick around to place a firm order to buy or lease the 2011 Leaf in August, you'll be able to take delivery whenever Nissan's EV arrives in your particular market. Nissan will roll out the Leaf in phases, with certain markets (Japan, and likely, California) receiving cars as early as December 2010. Leafs will become available in all major launch markets "quickly thereafter," says Nissan.

Inside Line says: Nissan edges closer to making its "mass-market" EV a reality. — Erin Riches, Senior Editor