ALESHA Dixon lit up Portsmouth on Monday when she switched on the lights at the city’s Spinnaker Tower.
This was not just any light switch-on though. For one night only, the tower’s lights were powered by the charge from a Nissan LEAF, the world’s first mass-produced 100 per cent electric family car.
The event was staged as part of the Big Turn-On, a campaign being run by Nissan to raise awareness of electric motoring.
Alesha is obviously better known for her roles as a music and TV star than her enthusiasm for electric vehicles… but it’s a cause she has clearly taken to her heart.
The Britain’s Got Talent judge is a big fan of the LEAF and has got behind the wheel on several occasions – although she has yet to take the plunge and actually buy one.
‘We’re working on that,’ she told Pure-driving. ‘But the car is a pleasure to drive and I love the fact that it’s so kind to the environment.
‘The world’s resources are so precious, we can’t keep on burning fossil fuels for ever. It’s great that Nissan have taken a lead to produce an all-electric car.
‘And it’s not as if I like it purely because it’s ”green”. It looks so cute… I absolutely love it.’
Alesha got involved with the Big Turn On in her role as an official ambassador for the LEAF. But what sparked her interest in the award-winning EV in the first place?
‘The thing is, I really love our planet,’ she told Pure-driving. ‘It’s beautiful and everyone can play their little part to help keep it that way.
‘Members of my family and friends started talking about the car and I decided to find out more. Driving the Nissan and getting an electric car does interest me greatly because it’s the right thing to do. And if everyone drove a LEAF, imagine how peaceful life would be.’
For Monday’s stunt in Portsmouth, the car, which provides up to 109 miles on one charge, was specially converted to allow the power of the battery to be extracted.
Alesha performed live after she flicked the switch, performing a number of songs from her platinum-selling album The Alesha Show.
Style and power
Nissan’s Marketing Director, Steve McLennan, said: ‘The Big Turn On campaign is one of a number of Nissan initiatives to drive change for a low-carbon, sustainable future.
‘We are aiming to raise awareness of the low-carbon benefits of 100 per cent electric vehicles and to encourage motorists to understand that they can do their bit for the environment without compromising on style and power on the roads.’
Back to Alesha for the final word. She said: ‘I have definitely been turned on to electric motoring and would highly recommend this car. It’s a yes from me!’