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2014 Nissan Leaf EVs recalled for missing welds

The Nissan Leaf has been recalled before, for problems with the passenger-side airbags. Early models of the car has also had start-up issues, but those did not lead to a recall. Today, we're learning about another problem with the world's most popular electric vehicle. In April, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a recall of a small number of 2014 model year Leaf EVs - just 211 units that were made between February 28 and March 12 of this year – and reminded the world about it this morning with a Tweet. The problem, NHTSA says, is that, "the front structural member assembly may be missing welds," and that means that the car's structural integrity could be compromised in a crash. You don't say. Starting in the middle of June, Nissan will look at the vehicles that could be missing welds and offer replacements for free. If you have a potentially affected vehicle, Nissan should be contacting you soon, or you can call the automaker at the number listed below. Report Receipt Date: APR 16, 2014 NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V192000 Component(s): Potential Number of Units Affected: 211 Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc. SUMMARY: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014 LEAF vehicles manufactured February 28, 2014, through March 12, 2014. The front structural member assembly may be missing welds, which could reduce the structural integrity of the vehicle if the vehicle is involved in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection," and 305, "Electric-Powered Vehicles: Electrolyte Spillage and Electrical Shock Protection." CONSEQUENCE: Missing welds may effect the vehicle's integrity in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the vehicle's occupants. REMEDY: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect to see if any of the welds are missing. Any vehicle missing welds will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin by mid-June 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261. NOTES: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Interest in an Infiniti EV is muted, to say the least

More than a quarter-million people have bought an electric vehicle from the Renault-Nissan Alliance. When it comes to Nissan's Infiniti luxury nameplate, though, there's not a lot of confidence. The Alliance doesn't have much hope that the badge will add to that total anytime soon. So says Emirates 24/7 in its report that Infiniti is planning on opening two showrooms in Abu Dhabi. Models such as the QX80 SUV, the Q70 sedan, and the Q50 will be shown off to those looking to live the high life, Infiniti style. But company executives told the publication that no battery-electric Infiniti models would be in the works until at least the end of the decade? The reason? Lack of demand. It's a far cry from three years ago, when a concept version of the Infiniti LE electric vehicle was shown off at the New York Auto Show. The model boasted 134 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque as well as wireless-charging capabilities. It was about the size of the Infiniti G sedan. At the time, the automaker's executives were estimating that car would hit the market by 2014. Those plans didn't come to fruition, obviously. As for the Alliance, Renault and Nissan celebrated the sale of their 250,000th electric vehicle this past summer. And while the lion's share of those were in the form of the Nissan Leaf, the 250,000th vehicle was actually a Renault Zoe that was bought by a computer engineer in Bordeaux, France. That's a long way from the UAE, and a long way from an Infiniti EV.

2014 Nissan Leaf price climbs $180 to $28,980*, Ghosn predicts sales doubling

A year ago, Nissan changed the fortunes of its all-electric Leaf in the US market by lopping a serious $6,400 off of the price. The entry-level 2012 Leaf started at $35,200, and the 2013 Leaf S instantly became a much better deal since it started at $28,800. For 2014, the trend is in the opposite direction, but only just. The 2014 Leaf S will start at $28,980. The other two trim levels will start at $32,000 for the SV and $35,020 for the SL. Oh well, we can't get a $6k drop every year, can we? What do you get for your extra $180? Well, as described in July, the 2014 model has the rear camera as standard and there is an available voice command navigation system and text message reader. We've got the full specification breakdown and pricing press release below. We doubt the small extra cost will do much to dent the Leaf's current sales upswing. December 2013 was the EV's best sales month ever, and a grand total of 22,610 units in 2013. That's more EVs than Nissan sold in 2011 and 2012 put together. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said earlier today that he thinks US Leaf sales will double, but didn't say when. "We are now on a trend of 3,000 cars a month in the US, which is about 36,000 cars" a year, Ghosn told Automotive News. "The next step is moving up to 4,000 a month, which is going to be approximately 50,000." The prices listed above do not include Nissan's $850 destination fee, but all Leaf EVs can qualify for the $7,500 federal income tax credit, as well as state and local incentives in some areas. NISSAN ANNOUNCES U.S. PRICING FOR 2014 LEAF™ NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 8, 2014) – Nissan today announced U.S. pricing for the 2014 Nissan LEAF™, which is on sale now at Nissan dealers nationwide. The 100 percent electric LEAF continues to offer outstanding value, with prices comparable to similar gasoline-powered vehicles after applicable tax credits. Sales of the zero emission LEAF in the U.S. and around the world set all-time records in 2013. The 2014 Nissan LEAF is available in three trim levels: LEAF S, SV and SL, along with option packages offering advanced systems such as Around View® Monitor and 7-speaker Bose® audio. Enhancements for 2014 include the addition of the RearView Monitor as standard equipment on all models (previously part of the Charge Package) and one new exterior color – Gun Metallic (seven total available colors).