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Nissan will deliver its next all-electric vehicle in late 2010, for fleets only initially, in the United States as well as Japan and Europe. After teasing the project with a prototype of the drivetrain under a home-market Cube, Nissan has announced the name and released first photos of the production version.

The new car will first be built in Oppama, Japan, but also at Nissan’s Smyrna, Tennessee, plant. Battery production will initially be in Japan, with Nissan scouting supplemental sites around the world, and including the United States.

The LEAF carries a relatively traditional five-door hatchback bodystyle. Pictures show us a shape with evolutionary Nissan elements, and a dramatic use of LED headlights and taillights. Design elements specific to its electric drivetrain include its nose-mounted plug, lack of large radiator grille, and lack of tailpipes, wrapped in a recognizable shape. The LEAF promises the same kinds of utility, cargo space, and people space of any other hatchback.

Leveraging the global population’s growing connectivity capability and demand, LEAF can use a mobile phone to turn on A/C and set charging, even when the vehicle is off. The LEAF is connected to a “global data center” which cant put information, entertainment, and vehicle support in-car twenty-four hours a day.

Nissan promises a 100-mile range, 30-minute quick charge time, and eight-hour household charging. The 90kW lithium-ion battery pack provides juice for an 107HP (80kW) AC motor. Given the flat torque curve of an electric motor and its single-speed transmission, this 107HP fits in the segment of compact cars well.