A WEST London Nissan retailer has seen enquiries for the 100 per cent electric Nissan LEAF more than double in the month since the trailblazing model dodged tough new changes to the congestion charge.
WLMG Nissan just off the A1 in Mill Hill would previously have expected just a handful of customers expressing an interest in the world’s bestselling electric vehicle each week.
But on July 1 many vehicles – including hybrids – were stopped in their tracks by a tightening of the C Charge emissions rules and the scrapping of the Greener Vehicle Discount (GVD), while LEAF drivers can still enjoy the freedom of the city with a charge of £10 per year rather than £10 per day.
And, as a result, dozens of interested motorists have been pouring through the doors of the dealership’s bright and modern showroom each week to find out more.
This surge in interest has been helped by an eye-catching installation showing three full-size cars no longer exempt from the congestion charge sticking out of a rubbish skip.
WLMG Nissan Sales Manager, Neil Jackson-Smith, said: ‘I’m not sure whether it’s the skip or the fact the LEAF is still congestion charge exempt, but enquiries have shot up in the past week or so.
‘Every day we look out of the showroom window and see people outside having their photo taken by the skip. They seem to love it and I don’t think they’ve seen anything like it before.
‘But one way or the other, we certainly get their attention when they learn the LEAF can be fully charged for aprproximately £2, has a range of up to 124 miles and is totally exempt from the congestion charge and road tax. For anyone who drives regularly in central London it’s a bit of a no-brainer.’
Generating interest
He added: ‘The skip installation has certainly played its part in generating interest though. Literally within five minutes of it being delivered a Mini pulled up alongside it and a family jumped out to have their pictures taken beside it. We were amazed.’
Now available from just £189 per month – less than the cost of four weeks’ C Charge payments, the groundbreaking LEAF costs just two pence per mile to run.
What’s more, parking and charging the all-electric LEAF in London is a breeze. As the city now has more than 1,300 on-street charging points – the largest network in Europe.