Nissan Leaf takes a shot at Chevrolet Volt in viral ad
It's a war of (power) cords as Nissan and GM fight for eco statusThe modern electric-car era is yet to truly begin, but already war has broken out – and there's a high profile Aussie in the middle of the scrum.
Japanese car maker Nissan has produced an ad squarely aimed at mocking the dependence on oil of the petrol-electric Chevrolet Volt.
The ad for the Nissan Leaf pure-electric car, which has been deliberately 'leaked' on You Tube, depicts a world where everyday electrical appliances have been replaced by petrol-power.
The ad includes a petrol-powered alarm clock, a two-stroke iPod on a jogger's shoulder, a generator-driven photocopier and a dentist drill that starts with a rip cord, just like a chain saw.
It's designed to poke fun at the fact that the Chevrolet Volt has both petrol power and electric power. The Volt has a maximum electric-only driving range of about 50km versus the Nissan Leaf's optimum driving range of about 200km. But the Volt has a potential driving range around 600km because it has a petrol engine as well.
To rub engine oil into the wound, the Nissan ad then shows a Volt owner filling his car with petrol – as he looks enviously across the street at a Nissan Leaf driver unplugging the vehicle from a charge point on the kerb, which itself may also be a work of fiction.
A Twitter post from former Holden PR head honcho, and now General Motors' North America PR big wig, Jason Laird, said: "A carmaker poking gentle fun at our product ignores towtrucks they need and rental cars they recommend as backup to their product."
When contacted by the Carsales Network, Laird said he was not referring to any brand in particular.
Meantime, the Nissan v GM contretemp has made news in the US, with Laird's response making the leading US auto websites. Nissan is yet to officially respond.
While we wait to see whether Nissan or GM win the PR war (what's better and gives better peace of mind: 200km or 600km of driving range?), Nissan has posted an early sales victory.
According to figures published overseas, the Leaf has made a roaring start, posting 1142 sales in May compared to the Volt's 481 sales for the same month, however year to date their sales are neck and neck.
Click here to watch the video…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eedpxs_-ciA
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