A NEW world record has been set for the largest number of electric vehicles travelling in unison.
Starting from Maridalen on the outskirts of the Norwegian capital Oslo, the world’s cleanest and quietest automotive gathering of all time followed a four-kilometre route and was monitored by two camera-carrying drones to ensure that all 260 (and a half!) vehicles were moving simultaneously.
The previous record, which was set with just Nissan LEAF vehicles at the Silverstone circuit in the UK in 2012, was beaten by 35-and-a-half EVs.
Although open to owners of all EVs, a large proportion of the cavalcade was represented by the Nissan LEAF with a total number of 128-and-a-half LEAFs registered for the record attempt. Nissan’s zero-emission vehicle is one of the best-selling cars in Norway. A total of 2,298 cars were sold there in 2012.
Jean-Pierre Diernaz, Director of Electric Vehicles at Nissan Europe, said: ‘Although it was a fun event, it had a serious side.
‘Its aim was to show that EVs are thoroughly practical everyday cars with the added benefit of producing no tailpipe emissions and very little noise.
‘Norway is ahead of all other European electric vehicle markets, but many other governments and councils are watching closely and sales are increasing across the region.’
Next challenge
Nissan celebrated the momentous record-breaking occasion by handing over the keys to the initial allocation of Nissan LEAFs purchased by the Oslo municipality, the first of 1,000 EVs the municipality will acquire over the next three years.
In addition to this, Nissan’s Pop-up Café gave participants and spectators the chance to learn more about EVs and the future of zero-emission mobility.
At the Pop-up Café, the car manufacturer also unveiled its next challenge – to reach one billion electric kilometres by January 1, 2015 – as the company aims to encourage more consumers to join the EV revolution. Kilometres covered by existing Nissan LEAF owners and from test drives all count towards the one billion goal.
‘The World Record may not have been as successful without the participation of the Nissan LEAF. Not only is it Norway’s best-selling EV, it’s also the world’s favourite zero-emission car – a record breaker in its own right,’ said Jean-Pierre Diernaz.
The company also established a Test Drive Hub where existing and potential new owners could see for themselves the new, second-generation LEAF, which incorporates more than 100 significant changes and improvements.
Zero-emission EVs are hugely popular in Norway where, in 2012, they accounted for 2.9 per cent of the country’s total new car market. Owners are exempt from sales tax and enjoy free city centre parking and can even drive in bus lanes without penalty.
