Nissan LEAF

Nissan LEAF

The 2011 Nissan Leaf electric vehicle is set to go on sale this December and order books for the car are filling up fast, with the first year’s allotment already gone. Infiniti, too, will get its own version of the Leaf as well as a new hybrid version of the M sedan, previewed by the 2012 Infiniti M35 Hybrid unveiled back at March’s 2010 Geneva Motor Show.

However, what we haven’t seen from Nissan or Infiniti yet is the more practical--but also more complex--range extended electric vehicle. But that may all change.

Automakers are still debating on which technology will appeal most to the masses. While GM is backing range extended electric vehicles with its upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Volt, Nissan has gone the all-electric route for the mass market.

Speaking at last week's Automotive News Green Car Conference, Brian Carolin, senior vice president for sales and marketing at Nissan North America, revealed that his company may eventually offer range extended electric vehicles. However, for Nissan, the main goal will remain maximizing environmental benefit

"For us, the important thing about the Leaf was to have a unique proposition: zero emissions," Carolin said. "You can't get better than that."

In the end, it will be consumers that decide.

[Automotive News, sub req’d via AutoblogGreen]