Nissan Reduces Price Of All-Electric Leaf In Europe

BY Editor

Nissan LEAF

Jan 23, 2013– Rolle, Switzerland  (Techreleased) – Nissan is making zero-emission mobility more affordable by reducing the price of the all-electric Nissan LEAF by €3,000 in European markets. The change comes as part of a global effort to make the LEAF more affordable in the pioneering electric vehicle’s three main markets of Japan, Europe and the United States.

In addition to the reduction in the ex-works price, customers can also benefit from further attractive local finance offers. The new price is effective immediately, ahead of the mid-year arrival of an updated version of the LEAF, the world’s best-selling electric car.

This is on top of incentives offered by governments and regional authorities and means a customer could pay as little as €25,990 in France or £23,490 in the U.K. for a brand new example.

Winner of the World, Europe and Japan Car of the Year Awards when it was launched in 2011, about 50,000 Nissan LEAF electric vehicles have been sold world-wide. With more than a cumulative 238 million km driven, the LEAF demonstrates that battery-powered cars are ready to make a significant contribution to a world-wide reduction in vehicle emissions.

A four-door, five-seat hatchback, Nissan LEAF has been lauded for its high levels of quality and exceptional reliability. It offers all the space, practicality and performance of any of its conventional rivals… but with one notable difference. It is a pure EV, promising no tailpipe emissions and low running costs.

It is powered by an in-house developed compact electric motor in the front of the car driving the front wheels. The AC motor develops 80 kW of power and 280 Nm of torque, enough for a maximum speed of more than 145 km/h (90 mph) and has a range of 175kms (108 miles) as tested over the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).

Recharging its compact lithium-ion batteries takes up to eight hours when plugged into a conventional domestic socket, but a rapidly expanding network of quick chargers mean a battery with 30 per cent charge left can be boosted to 80 per cent capacity in around 15 minutes… or just 30 minutes if it is completely depleted.

Strategically installed quick-chargers have started to create a series of ‘electric highways’ across Europe, greatly reducing concerns over an EV’s potential range and increasing its day-to-day practicality. About 600 LEAF-compatible CHAdeMO quick chargers have been installed in Europe to date.

Owner benefits vary from country to country but include access to some city centres denied to conventional vehicles, dedicated – and free – city parking, free use of bus lanes, reduced or no taxes and even free electricity when recharging.

Nissan LEAF comes with very high levels of standard equipment. Its standard satellite navigation system incorporates Carwings, Nissan’s unique telematics system which allows an owner to control the heating and air conditioning settings and to monitor the charging process remotely via a smart phone,

Other standard equipment includes a rear-view parking camera, quick charge capability, Intelligent Key, LED headlamps and Bluetooth connectivity. Nissan LEAF has been granted a top 5 Star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests.

In use, Nissan LEAF drives and handles like a conventional car, but in near silence and producing no tailpipe emissions. Nissan LEAF also has been noted for its driving excitement, thanks to brisk handling, noiseless and instantaneous acceleration, and nimble handling due to its low centre of gravity. As European Car of the Year judges declared: “It drives and behaves very much like a modern car – and in some respects even better.”

“There is no doubt that Nissan LEAF is a revolution and existing customers are passionate in their belief that zero-emission mobility is not the future, but is here now,” said Paul Willcox, senior vice president, Nissan Europe.

“Nissan’s objective for LEAF has always been to bring zero-emission mobility within reach of the mass-market. Our price reduction underlines that commitment and with no price premium even more motorists will become believers.”

Production of the updated model is due to start at Nissan European plant in Sunderland, UK, in Spring 2013.