As Plug-Ins Go On Sale, Japanese Can't Find The Plug
This Monday, Nissan’s all-electric Leaf will officially go on sale in Japan. All of the 6,000 Leafs scheduled to be made this fiscal year has already been reserved, reports Japan’s Asahi Shimbun. A lot of them are in the grips of pre-orderer’s remorse after a trip to their garage:
“According to a Nissan-affiliated dealership, one-third of people who preordered a Leaf had canceled their reservations by October, saying their garages were not equipped with a plug.”
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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But people also buy RWD cars as their daily driver in the snow belt, stupidity isn’t limited to EV buyers. u must think how do people drive before coffee cup holders were not standard equip in the car. we put such things call weight in the trunk, whether is sand bags or anything u have. When your FWD or AWD start losing control, God help u please. Just pray there isn't any hard heavy object coming towards u in a hurry.
Well HK it's a little off topic, I actually don't watch lot of TV but if it ain't HD I am probably not watching it. This guy I am talking about was using the standard co-ax from the cable company tuned to the SD channel, this was a couple of years ago before the old resolutions were phased out. Even with the signal scaled and stretched, the Superbowl at 480i on a 60 inch plasma was unwatchable.
Well, I did my own highly unscientific research in where I live at the moment.
Ota-ku, one of Tokyo's 23 wards. Prime target market for EVs. At our street fair this year they had one on display. The Mitsu dealer down the road has one in the showroom (which is, as per Japanese custom, usually devoid of cars.)
I can't have one: 6 family dwelling, 3 parking spaces in front of house. No plugs. I couldn't even charge an electric bicycle.
In multi family dwellings up and down the road: Same situation.
Single family dwellings: They usually have no garage. Waste of precious space. They have a little space carved out. Maybe a carport. No plugs.
The EV is supposed to be a city car. In cities the world over, you park in the street (no plug), in the basement garage (non plug), in the parking garage down the street (no plug).
Once you get further out into the suburban areas where there are garages (with plug potential) you run into range problems.
Did I say "city car?" I many large cities, having one car is enough of a hassle. In Manhattan (and Central Tokyo) the cost of parking one car exceeds monthly car payments. Now I'm supposed to have two cars? And still no plugs ...Thanks God we now have faster golf carts -- yippee!