WITH a ten-year countdown to the end of new petrol and diesel car sales announced today, Nissan EV owners are already celebrating their own decade of change with the pioneering Nissan LEAF.
Unveiled in 2010 and first on sale in the UK a year later, the LEAF set the template for zero-emission vehicles. Today, 92 per cent of European LEAF drivers say they would recommend driving an electric vehicle to family and friends.
Over half a million LEAFs have been sold worldwide, with the 500,000th model rolling off the UK production line in Sunderland in September this year.
A Nissan spokesperson said: “Our success with the British-built LEAF shows just how quickly customers embrace electric vehicles once they’ve experienced them.
“No more shivering in a cold petrol station to refuel your vehicle on a Friday evening in the rain – just drive home and plug in overnight. Once you experience these little pleasures of EV ownership, you won’t want to go back.”
As the first mass-market electric vehicle, LEAF led the way in establishing the foundation for modern EVs. With an innovative approach to electrified mobility, Nissan LEAF is helping customers, cities and governments achieve a more sustainable future.
Battery technology developed for the LEAF is helping to power homes and businesses, including the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, and Nissan EV technology is at the heart of pioneering UK trials of vehicle-to-grid energy management services.
Meanwhile, EV sales are rocketing in the UK, with battery electric vehicle registrations increasing by 168 per cent from January to the end of October, compared to the same period in 2019, as more buyers than ever switch on to the benefits of zero-emission motoring.
Read more: Ten fascinating LEAF insights
Read more: Nissan e-NV200 grabs coveted accolade at What Car? Van Awards