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It won't be long now before Nissan Leaf finally overtakes Chevy Volt

The two best-selling plug-in vehicles ever are the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf. When the two vehicles launched in late 2010, the plug-in hybrid Volt quickly outpaced the all-electric Leaf and, despite lots of ups and downs since then, continues to hold on to a cumulative sales lead. This will change in 2015. Cumulatively, from November 2010 through November 2014, the Volt sold 71,867 units while the Leaf trails with 69,220. That's a difference of just 2,647. Based on current trends (with the Leaf selling around 2,500-2,700 a month and the Volt at 1,500-1,700) we expect the Leaf to take over either in January or, more likely, February when the Leaf takes over as the most popular plug-in car in America. Perhaps even March, depending on how low the numbers are for January and February, which are always slow sales months in the US. Of course, once it takes the crown, the Leaf can't expect to easily hold on for long. A new Volt is coming in the second half of 2015, likely beating a new Leaf to market. The question is, then, how well the Chevy sells with all of its new bells and whistles. Do you think the Volt will be the comeback kid once the 2016 model becomes available? Featured Gallery 2013 Nissan Leaf View 55 Photos Green Chevrolet Nissan AutoblogGreen Exclusive Electric Hybrid ev sales hybrid sales

Angry Nissan Leaf Driver may make 'Rolling Coal' illegal in New Jersey

It's always a few bad apples who ruin polluting just for fun for the rest of us. That time-honored American tradition of being rude for laughs, otherwise known as 'rolling coal,' might become illegal in New Jersey, if a Nissan Leaf-driving politician gets his way. The politician in question is State Assemblyman Tim Eustace (D-Bergen), who was purposefully hit by a blast of dark smoke recently while driving his Leaf on the New Jersey Turnpike, according to NJ.com. This personal experience of what he called "just youthful ignorance" is encouraging him to submit a bill (A3583), which, "Prohibits retrofitting diesel-powered vehicles to increase particulate emissions for the purpose of 'coal rolling'; prohibits the practice of 'coal rolling.'" If you're caught violating the law, you would be hit with a fine from the state Department of Environmental Protection. Of course, the Feds say it is already illegal to modify an exhaust system in a way that allows coal rolling. Rolling coal has become a bit of a meme recently, with videos of laughing truck drivers spewing their modified exhaust pipes at green cars, pedestrians and bikers around the country. Eustace told NJ.com that, "People had been telling this has been going on, but I hadn't seen it. I was surprised to experience it myself." Perhaps a coal roller in New Jersey will be surprised, too, when the first big fine hits. News Source: NJ.comImage Credit: YouTube Green Nissan Green Culture Diesel Vehicles rolling coal

FCA-Renault merger faces tall odds delivering on cost-cutting promises

FRANKFURT/DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Renault promise huge savings from a mega-merger, but such combinations face tall odds because of the industry's long product cycles and problems translating deal blueprints into real world success, industry veterans told Reuters. BMW's 1994 purchase of Rover, and Daimler's 1998 merger with Chrysler both made sense on paper. The companies promised to hike profits by combining vehicle platforms and engine families. Both combinations proved unworkable in reality, and were unwound. Renault and Nissan, which have been in an alliance since 1999 designed to share vehicle components, have only managed to use common vehicle platforms in 35% of Nissan's products despite an original target of 70%, according to Morgan Stanley. FCA and Renault have raised the stakes for themselves by ruling out plant closures. That increases the pressure to achieve more than $5 billion in promised annual savings from pooling procurement and research investments. The two companies have yet to fill in many of the blanks in the merger plan put forward by Fiat Chrysler. Renault's board is expected to act soon to accept the proposal, but that would lead only to a memorandum of understanding to pursue detailed operational and financial plans. A final deal and the legal combination of the two companies could take months to complete if all goes well. Pressure to cut automotive pollution is driving the latest round of consolidation. Automakers are looking at multibillion-dollar bills to develop electric and hybrid cars and cleaner internal combustion engines. Fiat Chrysler and Renault are betting they can design common electric vehicle systems, then sell more of them through their respective brands and dealer networks, cutting the cost per car. Developing all-new electric vehicles can bring more opportunities to share costs from the outset, industry experts said. "With the emergence of connected, autonomous, electric and shared vehicles, carmakers face immediate investments, so new opportunities for sharing costs have emerged," said Elmar Kades, managing director at Alix Partners. However, most electric vehicles lose money. This is a challenge for city car brands in Europe in particular. Both Renault and Fiat rely heavily on this segment for sales.