LEAF Hugger

I dislike everything about gas stations:  the smell, the pumps, and the regular visits.  Just watching the cars wait in line at Costco makes my heart sink.  We keep pumping in the gas and pumping out the emissions.  Working on cars is a dirty business.  The service and parts are expensive and it’s messy – check out the oil and dirt on the hands of the service person.

Nissan’s LEAF

It has always frustrated me that I have bought into this.  That there were no other options for me.  Riding a bike doesn’t work for a family of five living in a rural area.  Public transportation (besides the school bus) wouldn’t work for grocery shopping or carpooling kids to ballet, gymnastics and music lessons.  Neither would it work for seeing clients and commuting to my job.

I purchased a new car 15 years ago because my company paid for the mileage.  That car is still my baby, but I know at 250,000 miles the baby is going to head off to college.  (Literally…with my son).

As the hybrids started hitting the market, I contemplated buying a new car.  Car dealerships and car salespeople overwhelm me.  However, test driving a hybrid was worth the discomfort of working with a car salesperson.  After test-driving the Prius, I was excited, but not excited enough to purchase a new car.  I knew what I really wanted:  An electric car.  A car that would eliminate gas stations from my weekly routine and emissions from my conscious.

But as I researched the electric car market, I was disappointed.  I needed an electric car that could at least get me to the nearest town and back (40 miles).  The car was non-existent…until this year.  Nissan has introduced the LEAF and Julie has fallen in love.

• 100% electric – no gas required
• Zero Emissions
• Up to 90 MPH
• Competitively priced (typical family sedan price range)
• 100 mile range
• 4-8 hour charge time in garage
• 26 minutes charge time at a quick charge station

What does this have to do with marketing?  Well…I’m not going to get a LEAF tattoo, but I am going to market the LEAF.  Why?  Because I am now officially a LEAF hugger.