Nissan unveils first ‘Leaf’ Electric Car

NISSAN Motor Co on Sunday unveiled the prototype of its first mass-volume electric car, the ‘Leaf”, which is due to go on sale in the United States and Japan in the latter half of 2010, followed by a global launch in 2012.


The mid-sized hatchback, which will go on sale in late 2010 in Japan, the United States, and Europe, represents a bold bet by Nissan that hybrids are merely a passing fad on the road to pure electric vehicles.

The Leaf, described by Nissan as “the world’s first affordable, zero-emission car,” can travel more than 160 kilometres (100 miles) on a single charge, at a top speed of 140 kilometres per hour, the company said.


It will “lead the way to a zero emission future, opening a new era in the automotive industry,” chief executive Carlos Ghosn said, unveiling the car at the group’s new headquarters in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo.


“The Leaf is totally neutral to the environment: there is no exhaust pipe, no gasoline-burning engine. There is only the quiet, efficient power provided by our own lithium-ion battery packs,” he added.



The price was not announced but Ghosn said it would be “very competitive.”



Nissan plans to sell the car at a similar price to a comparable model with a petrol-powered engine. The battery, which will be stored under the seat and floor, will be leased separately.