NISSAN’S all-electric LEAF arrives in Australia in a few months’ time.
Aussie buyers will be able to place orders for the pioneering emissions-free hatchback from next month… and the company expects the first batch of customers to mainly consist of fleet buyers. The first vehicles will be delivered to purchasers in June.
Nissan Australia CEO Dan Thompson has said an ‘education process’ will be taking place down under while motorists get used to the idea of electrically-powered motoring.
And he added that Nissan expects to sell ‘hundreds’ of examples of the world’s first mass-market EV in the remaining half of 2012, before annual sales volumes progress to the thousands.
Private buyers will have their homes’ wiring assessed to ensure they are capable of charging the car, which will be priced from $51,500 (roughly £34,000).
The LEAF will initially be available from 13 specialist Nissan dealers in major metropolitan centres, including Hobart and the Gold Coast. The number of LEAF outlets will be expanded gradually until 2014.
Nissan sold more than 20,000 LEAFs around the world in its first year, making it ‘the highest-selling electric car in the history of the car industry’, according to the company.
Mr Thompson confirmed that with a range of up to 109 miles on a single battery charge, the LEAF is expected to find favour early on in Australia’s fleets, as they seek sustainable transport solutions, and later with private customers who are interested in a zero-tailpipe emission car ownership experience coupled with freedom from petrol service stations.
- This post originally appeared on pure-driving.co.uk