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UK
car buyers can now take their
place in motoring history by
becoming the first in the
country to secure an order for
the world’s first affordable,
mass-produced, 100% electric
vehicle, as the Nissan LEAF
order bank opened on September 1st.
Customers can sign up online via
the
www.nissan.co.uk/LEAF
reservation website and put down
a refundable £257 deposit. This
is the first step in securing a
place on the list to receive one
of the first Japanese-built
Nissan LEAFs, deliveries of
which will start in March priced
at £23,990 (including £5,000
government incentive).
These motoring pioneers will
then get an opportunity to
test-drive their prospective
purchase by the end of this
year, at which point they will
need to formally confirm their
order. A dedicated call centre
has also been set up to assist
customers with questions.
Paul Willcox, Managing Director
of Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd, said:
“The Nissan LEAF is a milestone
in Nissan’s history. Launching
in Japan and the US in the
coming weeks and UK, Portugal &
Ireland early next year, Nissan
is the first manufacturer to
bring credible and affordable
electric vehicle motoring to the
mass market.”
Willcox goes on to explain, “The
Nissan LEAF is generating huge
interest across the world, with
more than 25,000 customers
already putting down deposits in
the US and Japan. We know that
the benefits of electric
mobility have struck a chord
with motorists in the UK and
initial interest across retail
and fleet channels could result
in demand outstripping initial
supply.”
With Nisssn LEAF already
generating a buzz among retail
customers, Nissan’s EV is also
starting to capture the
environmental imagination of
trail-blazing organisations too,
including British Gas and IKEA –
both of which have expressed
interest and had access to an
early demonstration behind the
wheel.
Speaking about his fleet
requirements,
Charlie Brown, Corporate
Environment Manager UK & IE,
IKEA Limited states,
“The Nissan LEAF gives me
everything I want in a car and
doesn’t have the one thing I
don’t want – an exhaust pipe.”
The Nissan LEAF will be priced
at £23,990, taking into account
the £5,000 Government incentive
for electric vehicle buyers and
the recently announced 20% VAT
rate, both to be introduced from
January. The price includes the
battery.
The Nissan LEAF’s advanced
technology means it will be
considerably cheaper to run than
a conventional compact family
hatchback. Depending on an
individual’s electricity tariff
and time of charging, it will be
possible to run the LEAF for
less than 2pence per mile.
Additional financial benefits
include reduced servicing costs,
exemption from London’s
congestion charge, zero vehicle
tax and zero benefit in kind for
company car drivers.
Available in five exterior
colours and one
high-specification trim level,
all models will come with air
conditioning, satellite
navigation and a parking camera
as standard, plus smartphone
connectivity that enables owners
to check charging levels plus
heat or cool the interior of the
car remotely via their handset.
The car’s AC motor develops 80
kW of power and 280 Nm of
torque, enough for a maximum
speed of more than 90mph and it
can travel up to 100 miles on a
full charge*. Research indicates
that the average daily mileage
for 80 percent of the UK
population is less than 30
miles. |
