Nissan Welcomes UK Government Announcement On Incentives For Electric Vehicle Buyers
 |
MAPLE CROSS, UNITED KINGDOM – February 25, 2010: Nissan has welcomed a £230 million scheme announced today by the UK Government, that will offer financial incentives of up to £5,000 to drivers and companies that buy electric vehicles.
The scheme will be introduced just ahead of the launch of the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle, which goes on sale in the UK in March 2011.
The Nissan Leaf will meet all of the criteria set for eligibility for these incentives, which include:
Paul Willcox, Managing Director at Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd, said: “We welcome the announcement that the government is to incentivise sales of electric vehicles. These incentives will bring electric vehicle ownership within reach of UK motorists and make cars like the Nissan Leaf a financially viable alternative to conventional petrol and diesel-powered cars.”
Nissan Leaf
Leaf is a 5-passenger, hatchback with a range of
100 miles on a single charge. It will be a pure electric vehicle – no
fuel required and no tailpipe emissions. It will be powered by an advanced
lithium-ion battery that’s capable of charging in eight hours as well
as in 25 minutes using quick charging technology.
Leaf will have a range of 100 miles (160km), which studies have demonstrated meets more than 60 percent of average driving needs in Europe.
Leaf is designed for mass appeal and incorporates features that increase aerodynamics which, in turn, increases range. These features include a low, V-shaped front end, large LED headlamps and flat floor to smoothly steer airflow around and under vehicle.
It is based on a 100% new platform fully dedicated to electric vehicles and placing the batteries under the passenger compartment floor allows for enough leg and head room to comfortably fit five adults and their luggage.
The Leaf uses an exclusive advanced IT system that supports EV driving 24-hours a day. At the touch of a button, the monitor shows the driving range remaining within the current state of charge and the location of nearby charging sites. Another state-of-the-art feature is the ability to use smart phones to turn on air-conditioning, check the current state of charge, and set charging functions – even when Nissan Leaf is turned off.
The on-board timer can be pre-set to start charging Leaf at night, taking advantage of lower night-time electricity rates.
For more information about the Leaf and Nissan’s Zero Emissions Mobility programme, visit the websites: www.nissanpress.co.uk/environmental or www.nissan-zeroemission.com