OC NISSAN IRVINE

This week, I picked up my brand new, shiny car and have been feeling eyes on me everywhere - on the road, in the parking lot, even at a different dealership where I brought my old Toyota Prius in for servicing. Contrary to what you may think, I'm not driving a Bugatti, an Aston Martin, or even a Porsche. My new car is the all-electric Nissan LEAF and I've never felt so envied.

Picking up the car in itself was a once-in-a-lifetime event. My family and I received an incredible welcome from the team at OC Nissan Irvine near the Irvine Spectrum, where the 405 and the 5 merge in the Irvine Auto Center. Sam Klein, Executive Manager of OC Nissan Irvine, Tom Lagergren Dealer Operations Manager for Nissan North America, Johni Stoller the Leaf Specialist and the rest of Team OC Nissan Irvine were knowledgeable and incredibly helpful. The financing process was actually pleasant - and they took the time to instruct me on all the vehicle features - of which are many, and several being paradigm changing. Because this is such a breakthrough technology for the transportation industry and for Nissan dealerships across the country, the whole process was documented with photos and videos from beginning to end - making it even more fun.

Now, on to my Nissan LEAF. First off, full disclosure: I work for AeroVironment, the company that makes home charging stations for the Nissan LEAF and other electric vehicles (EVs), as well as public fast-charge stations and accessories that make EVs a practical reality for drivers everywhere. But today I'm writing as a consumer - one with a long commute from Laguna Hills to Monrovia, which is on the edge of San Gabriel Valley. I'm an EV enthusiast - an early adopter, even - but I had the same concerns as any driver with a one-way 60-mile commute. Would the ride be smooth? Would I run out of charge? Will I become accustomed to this car as I've become attached to my favorite cars in the past?

My concerns started fading the moment I stepped into the Nissan LEAF. The car is solid. The on-board telematics are amazingly useful - the dashboard tells me where I am on the spectrum of energy efficiency and lead footedness; how many miles range I have left, and the location of the closest chargers; along with other capabilities that I'm still learning.

The concern about range, especially with my unusually long commute, did linger for a while - but after a few days of driving I can confidently say that I don't worry about getting stranded anymore. On the first day, I was fixated on how many miles I had left. So I started using the ECO mode, but I was nonetheless having "range anxiety" - a fear that non-believers often cite and I've always battled in defense of EVs. Thinking through my options, I rationalized that if I were to run out of charge I could call the office and have our new prototype mobile charger product charge me up. As it turned out, I had more than enough range left in the car - despite my long commute.

When I arrived in Monrovia, I realized all that worry was unnecessary. I had 20 miles' range left on the battery. I pulled up to one of the charging stations installed in the parking lot, popped open my "gas tank" - in this case the plug for the car - and plugged in the charging dock cable. I was pleased to confirm that the connection was as easy as we had designed. Next I look forward to using the secondary receptacle which I'd opted for on the LEAF: a fast charge connection that will allow me to charge my car in minutes.

Watching my car quietly charge, I was comforted by the fact that my range anxiety was not an issue and that my return trip home would be without worry. At that moment, I realized, as a consumer, the extent to which electric cars really are here, and that they are the way of the future.

On the second day of my commute, things only got better, and my worries completely disappeared. My commute was now a known quantity and I knew my electric car had more than enough range to get me to work - and further. On this second day, I focused more on my driving efficiency and took full advantage of the car's ECO mode, which maximizes range. When I got to work this time, I had a few more miles of range left. I now look forward to January 2012 when the carpool lane will only be made available for true carpoolers - and drivers of all-electric vehicles like the Nissan LEAF.

In the few days I've had the car, no fewer than ten people "test drove" it - and each has remarked how quiet, smooth, fast, and hi-tech my Nissan LEAF is. The most telling reaction? Everyone marveled that this was, in fact, a "real car." It was just as real, tangible, reliable, and fun to drive as any other car, except this one runs on electrons, not gas. And now that they've driven a LEAF, they want one for themselves. All-electric cars are a reality. Anyone who insists that EVs are a thing of the future has likely not had the opportunity to drive one. These cars will revolutionize the way we drive, think and live our lives. No longer will we be tethered to gas stations or foreign oil. This week I feel like other EV drivers have felt before me, and will feel in the future. This week, I'm part of history.