Good news for drivers looking to stick it to the gas-guzzling Man: The Environmental Protection Agency labeled the soon-to-be-released Nissan Leaf as the best midsize vehicle for fuel efficiency and best car for the environment as the Leaf clocks in at about 99 miles per gallon.
It’s too bad the number of people who are going to be cruising around in a swanky new Leaf will probably be less than the number of people traversing the town in a military-style Hummer.
The lack of available infrastructure to charge the Leaf, which runs largely on electricity, will make the car extremely difficult to market to an American public who is still largely unfamiliar with the concept of plugging a car in before driving it.
Additionally, the Leaf and other electric vehicles can only sustain themselves for short travels, so don’t expect Nissan’s newest installment to get you from Miami to Gainesville.
But Nissan should be praised as it releases its electrically chic Leaf next month. Its attempt to reduce fossil fuel dependence and gasoline-guzzling cars is a step in the right direction.
But our global warming dilemma won’t be solved unless the electricity generated for the electric cars comes from renewable sources, including wind or solar.
Our gasoline addiction won’t be solved until electric cars become more marketable and the American public becomes more informed.
Keep on trucking, Nissan. Every revolution has to start somewhere. It’s time to turn over a new Leaf.
