Nissan and Chevy have emerged as 2 contenders of the alternative fuel market space that is largely being driven by research and developments in the electric car and zero-emission technology. Who will eventually control a major stake of electric car market space is a very tough question. To be honest, it’s more speculation that anything if someone was to pick one winner.

However, if someone was to pick a winner of these 2, then I will definitely go with Nissan at this point of time. And there are some very important reasons for me to say that Nissan has an edge over Chevy as far as Leaf Vs. Volt comparison is concerned.

To begin with, Leaf has been so successful in creating hype for the zero-emission Nissan Leaf that the overall brand recognition and strength for Nissan Leaf is quite strong. If you remember the massive exposure that Nissan Leaf generated by virtue of its road shows, you will understand that the buzz around Leaf is unparalleled.

Then we follow it with an actual product comparison and you will realize that Chevy’s Volt is not exactly a pure electric car. It is in fact a hybrid that has a mileage of 40 miles on electric charge. Now, if you compare this with Leaf then Leaf is a 100% Zero-Emission electric car and on a full-charge it has a mileage of 100 miles. Comparing 40 miles to 100 miles, I can say that for someone who is on the road for most part of the day, a Leaf is a better choice.

I understand that there will be some folks who prefer hybrid on account of a potential situation that requires long-distance travel and the ease of gas availability. However, Leaf is a city car that is meant for daily commute. Besides, it’s an entirely new technology that has not been implemented commercially at a mass level. Hence the success of Leaf will catapult Nissan to an altogether different level. We cannot say the same for Volt because the market has already seen a lot of hybrid cars including the Prius.

And to end the debate, by virtue of using zero-emission technology, Leaf is entitled to better tax benefits and rebates. Consider the example of California and you will realize that Leaf is eligible for a $5000 State rebate while Volt gets a lower rebate on account of being hybrid. And California has been a pioneer in adopting new and green emission technology; thereby ensuring that other States will also follow some sort of a precedent set by California.

All in all, Nissan stands to gain more by investing in a new technology and leading the field by developing and marketing a totally new product that could prove to be a major mover and shaker of the automotive industry across the world.

This guest post comes to you from a passionate automotive writer, Mark Smith. Mark is a professional fuel strategist who creates custom fleet card solutions based on industry fuel cards.