2011 Nissan Leaf; a cheap car to insure?

Will electric vehicles (EVs) be cheap to insure? While we won't have a definitive answer to this question until the silent rides hit the roads en masse, reports pouring in, based on some key assumptions, indicate that battery-powered autos, the Nissan Leaf in particular, should be less costly to insure than equivalent internal combustion engine vehicles. Here's a rundown of the reasons why UK-based finance company Credit Plus thinks that the Leaf's insurance rates will hurt the ol' pocketbook a little less than ICE vehicles do:

• Warranty: Nissan offers an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty on many of the Leaf's vital electrical components. Lengthy warranties mean that more costs are usually covered by the automaker and less risk is assumed by the insurer.
• Accident rates: The Leaf, with its 100-mile range, is expected to be driven less than a conventional vehicle. Less time spent on the road means that the likelihood of being involved in an accident drops off significantly.
• Driving style: In an effort to conserve battery energy, it's thought that many EV drivers will be less aggressive with the accelerator pedal and pilot the vehicle in a more relaxed manner.
• Uniqueness: The electric vehicle will draw in a unique buyer, one that is educated in autos and cares about the vehicle that he or she drives.

Regardless of the reason, if insurance companies believe that EV drivers are less likely to be involved in a collision than motorists in gas- or diesel-burning rides, then reduced premiums will be the result, thus adding to the list of reasons for buying a battery-powered auto.

[Source: All Cars Electric]