California buyers of the Nissan LEAF can gets some juicy tax breaks

2011 Nissan LEAF

Certain California residents will be able to drive a brand new Nissan Leaf for a little more than half the MSRP, thanks to a slew of incentives. The federal government already offers a $7,500 tax credit to buyers of electric vehicles, the state of California offers a $5,000 rebate to the same, and now, certain local governments are offering an additional $3,000 in rebates. Many other states, cities, and counties around the country are also offering similar incentives which could be tremendous to buyers, assuming they know enough to take advantage of them.

One analyst says that for the early adapters, these incentives will make little difference, as these are people who have likely been waiting for these vehicles and will need little financial prompting.

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According to Nissan, Colorado, California, Georgia, and Hawaii are the states that offer the biggest incentive packages. Colorado offers a $6,000 tax credit for the purchase of a qualifying vehicle, plus another credit of up to 20% for the purchase of a charger. Georgia offers $5,000 plus 10% for charger purchase, and Hawaii residents can get back up to $4,500, or $5,000 if they also purchase a charger.

Refresher: Power for the Nissan LEAF comes from a 107-hp electric-motor that runs on power supplied by lithium-ion cells. On a full-charge, the Nissan LEAF allows for a driving range of 100 miles with a top speed of 87 mph. A full charge takes up to 8 hours on a standard 200V outlet. Buyers can opt for the DC 50kW quick-charger, which recharges the battery up to 80 percent in under 30 minutes. Prices for the 2011 Nissan LEAF will start at $32,780 but with a federal tax-credit prices will come in as low as $25,280, or for a lease payment of $349 a month.

2011 Nissan LEAF:

– By: Stephen Calogera

Source: CNNMoney