Nissan Taking $99 Reservations for 2011 Leaf

Nissan has begun taking reservations for the all-electric Leaf, which becomes availabe in December in select markets including Arizona, California, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington.

The Nissan Leaf is expected to cost only $25,000 after factoring in all state and federal tax credits. The Leaf can travel up to 100 miles on a single charge costing less than $3. There will also be a 36-month lease available for $349 per month with $1,999 paid up front.

To get on the reservations list, you need to pay a refundable fee of $99. The reservation guarantees that you will have first dibs on the Leaf when it's available, but it doesn't guarantee that you will get to purchase the car right away. That all depends on supply and demand.

Reservations will be available to everyone beginning May 15, but if you're one of the 115,000 people who had previously signed up to Nissan's email list, you can reserve now.

Our recommendation is to always wait to buy a newly introduced model when your goal is to save money. The Leaf can be considered an exception due to the huge tax savings, low cost of fuel, and limited competition in this category. The only problem is likely to be a long wait to actually get your hands on one.