Discerning, eco-conscious car buyers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington D.C. rejoice. While next year's Nissan LEAF will continue to be sold in existing markets, it will also be available, for the first time ever, in your home states. And, you don't even have long to wait to place your reservation. Nissan will open their books up to you, starting on August 4.

In addition to expanded availability, there are a host of other changes Nissan has made to the 2012 LEAF that you should also know. In response to consumer feedback, Nissan has added standard quick-charging and a suite of cold-weather features, including:

• a battery warmer
• heated steering wheel
• heated from and rear seats

For the 2012-model year, Nissan is also making DC Fast Charge capability standard on the SL trim. According to Nissan, the SL represents 95 percent of all 2011 LEAF sales; and over 90 percent of those buyers have added the DC Fast Charger.

These standard-equipment additions will, of course, come at a price. Specifically, the base Nissan LEAF SV, which starts at $33,630 (including destination charge) in 2011, will start at $36,050 for the 2012 model year. Nissan has also downsized the 2012 LEAF lineup, eliminating the SL-e trim.

To learn more about the forthcoming 2012 Nissan LEAF EV, contact Charles Barker Nissan at (757) 284-3140 today. Or, visit us in person at 1250 N Military Highway Norfolk, VA 23502. And, be sure to stay tuned for more Nissan news, coming soon!