LEAF: launches next year.

Nissan has started taking deposits for its LEAF electric vehicle in Portugal and Ireland while UK pre-orders will start on 1 September.

The ordering process is a first step in securing a place on the list to receive the ground-breaking vehicle and means Portuguese, Irish and British customers will be first in line to receive the car in Europe when it launches early next year. Nissan LEAF deliveries begin in Portugal in January, Ireland in February and the UK in March.

‘Today's announcement brings zero-emissions motoring one step closer to reality in Europe,’ Nissan International’s senior vice-president of sales and marketing Simon Thomas told ModernSelling.com.

‘Nissan LEAF will appeal on many levels; it's a completely zero-emission electric car with all of the financial and environmental benefits that will bring, but it is also a practical family-size car and fun to drive. That's a powerful combination, and Nissan LEAF is already attracting significant interest from prospective customers.’

Demand

According to Nissan, since March nearly 12,000 customers in Europe have signed up for regular updates on LEAF's introduction, while in the US and Japan pre-orders have exceeded 23,000 units since online reservations began in April.

The company says that such high demand has meant the Nissan LEAF will launch slightly later than planned in the Netherlands. Sales are now expected to start in June 2011, with pre-orders opening to customers in October this year. All other market launch dates remain unchanged.

LEAF: 100-mile range.

To make a reservation, potential customers are being asked to make a fully-refundable deposit of €300 (£257) on their local Nissan consumer website. Nissan says these ‘early adopters' will also be given an opportunity to test-drive the LEAF thoroughly by December, at which point they will need to confirm their order formally. A dedicated call centre for each country has been created to assist customers with questions.

Price

The price of Nissan LEAF after government incentives is €30,250 in Portugal, €29,995 in Ireland and £23,990 (including 20% VAT from next year) in the UK including the battery. Nissan claims the LEAF will be no more expensive to buy – and considerably cheaper to run – than a conventional compact family hatchback. Running costs are anticipated at less than €1.05 per 100 km in Portugal, less than €1.20 per 100km in Ireland and less than £1.59 per 100 km in the UK.

The LEAF is equipped with features such as air conditioning, satellite navigation and a parking camera. Innovative smart phone connectivity will allow an owner to heat or cool the interior of the car remotely via a mobile phone.

Performance

The car's AC motor develops 80 kW of power and 280 Nm of torque, enough for a maximum speed of more than 140 km/h (90 mph). The electric motor is ‘fuelled' by a laminated lithium-ion battery with a power output of more than 90 kW.

Range

A full charge delivers a potential range of 160 km (100 miles – US LA4 mode) which will satisfy the daily driving demands of most customers. Global research indicates that the average daily mileage for 80 percent of the world's population is under 100 km: the figure in Japan and the UK is under 50 km for 80 percent of the population.

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