An all-electric Nissan LEAF is being put to good use at a remote Met Office base more than 4,000 miles away from the UK, thanks to the corporate sales team at a Devon dealership.
The electric vehicle was supplied by South West Nissan in Exeter after the Government agency decided they needed an eco-friendly vehicle for use at their isolated base on Ascension Island.
The volcanic island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, forms part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha and is home to a small team of Met Office experts.
After deciding that the time was right to deploy an electric vehicle on the island, bosses at the Met Office’s headquarters in Exeter got in touch with the team at South West Nissan to see if they would be able to supply a LEAF.
Jon Davies, a commercial vehicle specialist, was only too happy to help. The sale was arranged and before long, the car was aboard a Merchant Navy ship sailing from Southampton to the South Atlantic.
The LEAF’s arrival on Ascension Island represents a milestone in the island’s quest for sustainability.
Its use as a zero-emission vehicle in the remote location demonstrates how eco-conscious choices can have an impact all over the globe, and showcases the full versatility of the LEAF itself, the first mass-market all-electric car.
Explaining what happened, Jon said: “Our Exeter dealership and Van Centre is not too far from the Met Office’s HQ in the city and they decided the time was right for an eco-friendly car on Ascension Island, where they have one of their bases.
“Once they had decided that they wanted a LEAF, they got in touch with us and we were delighted to assist. From us, the car went to Southampton, where it left on a Merchant Navy ship to the island.’’
Award-winning dealer group
A Met Office spokesperson confirmed that the car is now in use on Ascension Island and involved in ‘‘various business purposes’’. It is being charged by a solar-powered charging station.
As well as its Nissan dealership in Exeter, the award-winning dealer group South West Nissan represents the brand at branches in Barnstaple, Wellington and Sidmouth. The Exeter dealership is also home to the South West Nissan Van Centre.