Nissan’s UK manufacturing plant in Sunderland will produce the batteries going into the new Nissan LEAF, which the company bills as “the world’s first affordable, zero-emission car.”
Unveiled over the weekend, the LEAF is set to launch late next year in Europe, Japan and the US.
A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said the LEAF represents Nissan’s hope that “their electric car will do for alternative-fuelled cars what the Model T Ford did for petrol-powered vehicles.”
While Nissan hasn’t yet announced how much the LEAF will cost, company officials say it will be “competitively priced in the range of a well-equipped C-segment vehicle” … even before tax breaks and other incentives are taken into account.
Powered by a lithium-ion battery, the LEAF will have a range of more than 160 kilometres on a single charge. Fully recharging the vehicle will take about eight hours using a standard home electrical outlet.
The LEAF will also feature an advanced IT system enabling motorists to use mobile phones to turn on air-conditioning and set charging functions. An on-board remote-controlled timer can also be pre-programmed to recharge batteries.
“The IT system is a critical advantage,” says Tooru Abe, chief product specialist at Nissan. “We wanted this vehicle to be a partner for the driver and an enhancement for the passengers. We also wanted this vehicle to help create a zero-emission community, and these IT features will help make that possible.”