PARIS, FRANCE (December 21, 2017) – As the global leader for electric vehicles, Nissan is well-placed to judge the customer reaction towards the forthcoming launch of its pioneering, all-new LEAF EV.
Back in 2010, when the first-generation LEAF was introduced in Europe, most competitors were sceptical towards this Nissan innovation. They continued their focus mainly on internal combustion engine improvement.
Fast forward eight years. Consumers’ understanding and appetite for electric vehicles has been transformed, with demand experiencing a five-fold increase since 2012. Now the vast majority of car brands are developing their own first-generation EVs.
At the same time Nissan has built upon the experiences and feedback of 83,000 LEAF drivers to develop a brand new vehicle.
That car – the all-new Nissan LEAF – has received unprecedented interest from customers since its European unveiling in October 2017. In two months, 10,000 have been ordered across the region and growth is expected to increase as the vehicle starts to hit showrooms from February 2018.
At the same point back in 2010, orders for the original LEAF could be counted in the hundreds as customers were presented with this new and exciting – but still unproven – technology.
Gareth Dunsmore, Director, Electric Vehicles, Nissan Europe, commented: “We are delighted by the tangible customer interest we have received for the new LEAF as it confirms the leadership Nissan has in electric vehicles. However, the new LEAF is not just our new generation electric vehicle, but also the icon of Nissan Intelligent Mobility in Europe.”
Since its global unveil in Japan in September, consumer interest and momentum for new LEAF has built steadily across Europe. In early October initial vehicle specifications and pre-sale pricing were released at Nissan’s Futures 3.0 event in Oslo, Norway. Since then, customers have been able to place orders for new LEAF through their local Nissan retailer.
To date, customer interest in the new LEAF has been stimulated through positive media coverage. The car has been praised for the host of new innovations and technologies it brings, including Nissan ProPILOT driver assistance technology, and Nissan e-Pedal, which when activated allows the driver to reduce use of the brake pedal by up to 90%.
Impressively, the 10,000 customer orders have been taken without new LEAF being physically available in Nissan retailers for test drive, and without direct consumer advertising and promotion.
All European markets are now finalising their full model line-up and pricing for new LEAF as formal start of sales approaches.
Production of the new LEAF began earlier this month at Nissan Europe’s manufacturing facility in Sunderland, UK, and is being ramped up to meet the high customer demand. First deliveries will start in early February 2018.
ABOUT NISSAN IN EUROPE
Nissan has one of the most comprehensive European presences of any overseas manufacturer, employing more than 17,000 staff across locally-based design, research & development, manufacturing, logistics and sales & marketing operations. Last year Nissan plants in the UK, Spain and Russia produced more than 660,000 vehicles including award-winning crossovers, commercial vehicles and the Nissan LEAF, the world’s most popular electric vehicle. Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility vision is designed to guide Nissan’s product and technology pipeline and this 360 degree approach to the future of mobility will anchor critical company decisions around how cars are powered, how cars are driven, and how cars integrate into society. Nissan is positioned to become the most desirable Asian brand in Europe.
