Thirteen years later, at this very
spot in Yokohama, Nissan unveiled the
Leaf, a compact vehicle thatwould require
charging stations galore sprinkled around
cities and along highways to keep it alive.
Thefirst surprise ishowquickly theneeded
infrastructurewas built throughout Japan
to accommodate the Leaf. The second is
how, well,
normal
it looks si ing outside
the factory (save for the “Zero Emission”
declaration plastered across its doors, lest
there be any mistake about the size of the
driver’s carbon footprint).
As I pull out and start feeling my way
throughYokohama, the near-silence of the
engine creates a feeling of floating over the
urban road surfaces. (The car also emits a
faint beeping
sound so that
p e d e s t r i a n s
know it’s there.)
But then, the
city is the Leaf’s
natural habitat.
To test itsme le,
I hop onto the
Yokosuka High-
way and head
toward the holy
city of Kama-
kura, which was
the nation’s de
facto capital between the 12th and 14th
centuries. The Leaf performs well against
its gas-powered peers, the electric engine
responding quickly when the hammer is
dropped. Acceleration is fluid, as if it’s being
dialedupbyadimmer switch. Plus, the 600-
pound ba ery pack is set under the seats,
giving the Leaf a low center of gravity and
thus crisp handling at higher speeds.
I stop inKamakura to see theGreat Bud-
dha, a monumental bronze statue dating
from1252. Originally situated ina giant hall,
the 44-foot-tall seated Buddha has been
out in the open air since a tsunami leveled
its home in the late 15th century. It ranks
among Japan’s most popular a ractions,
with tourists inabundance—one ofwhom
hears theLeaf beeping and remarks, “What
is this, a cute baby ‘Knight Rider’ car?”
From Kamakura, I decide to take the
coastal roads along Sagami Bay to the
townof Ito, on the IzuPeninsula, where the
car can recharge overnight. But pushing
the limits of the Leaf on the highway has
depletedmy range well ahead of schedule.
I have 9 miles le in the ba eries, and it’s
28
miles to Ito. With the help of the smart
onboard IT system, I locate nearby spots
where I can get the 30-minute charge
needed to finish the drive. I find a charg-
ing station beside a convenience store in
a small coastal village, plug in and grab
a coffee. Just then, a curious Japanese
couplewith a young child (a.k.a. the target
market) wanders over to examine the Leaf.
“
These charging stations are appearing
everywhere these days,” the father tells
his boy, with a note of fascination. The boy
examines the thick cable now protruding
from the center of the hood. “It’s like an
elephant trunk,” he says.
Heading south, the Leaf takes on wind-
ing roads, tight turns and tunnels like a slot
car in its groove, andmounts hills without
a hint of loss in propulsion. By the end,
though, the Leaf’s most glaring drawback
is again apparent. The remaining-miles
counterhasplummetedwiththeadditional
exertion (plus the air conditioning). The
moral: If you’re going to take this car out
of the (undemanding, flat) city, you’ve got
to plan for it.
In Ito, I pull into what seems to be a
Japanese rock garden. Instead, it’s the
immaculately ordered pebble stairway
leading to Kai Ito, a traditional hot-spring
resort with the ancient scent of incense,
newly laid
tatami
mat floors and fresh
warmwater that feeds indoor and outdoor
bathing areas, as well as balcony hot tubs
in private rooms. As I step out of the car
and hand the keys to the valet, he’s a bit at
sea. “Howdo you even start this thing?” he
asks, before discovering the big red
PEACE, AND QUIET
From left, a patch-
work of rice fields
on the Izu Peninsula;
the Nissan Leaf
at a typical recharg-
ing station
BOARDING PASS
From its Tokyo hub
United offers nonstop
service to and frommore
than a dozen points in
the U.S. and throughout
the Pacific. Next spring
United will introduce
Tokyo-Denver service,
with daily flights operated
with the all-new Boeing
787
Dreamliner.
For
details‚ go to united.com.
28
NOVEMBER 2012
•
HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGE COLLECTION/DANITADELIMONT.COM (IZU PENINSULA)
DISPATCHES
||
ROADTRIP
As I step out of the Leaf and hand the keys
over to the valet at Kai Ito, he’s a bit at sea.
“
How do you even start this thing?”
