This is the first time a European carmaker has produced 50,000 EVs, and the batteries that power them, demonstrating Nissan’s leading role in electric vole technology and innovation. The 50,000th LEAF has been sold to a customer in France with European-built Nissan LEAFs currently exported to 23 global markets covering Western Europe and other destinations as diverse as Argentina, Iceland, Israel and Taiwan. Nissan LEAF and battery manufacturing was launched in the UK in 2013 by Prime Minister David Cameron and supports over 2,000 jobs at Nissan and in its UK suppliers.
2016 will be a landmark for the LEAF with the introduction of the extended-range 250 kilometre version and the announcement that Nissan’s future generation batteries will be produced in Sunderland, representing a further £26.5 million investment in the plant.
The Nissan LEAF was the first mass-market electric vehicle to go on sale (2013) and it remains the best-selling EV of all time with almost 220,000 vehicles sold worldwide. The company launched the e-NV200 van in 2014, produced in Barcelona, Spain and powered by the same European-built advanced lithium-ion batteries as the LEAF. Now, the new extended-range Nissan LEAF is helping Nissan to pioneer affordable, all-electric technology for the mass-market.
Having introduced electric vehicle production to Europe with LEAF in 2013, Nissan launched a second EV into Europe in 2014 when the e-NV200 van went into production in the Nissan’s Barcelona plant in Spain – powered by the same
“What Nissan is doing today with electric vehicle technology is more advanced than any other car manufacturer” said Paul Willcox, Chairman, Nissan Europe. “This milestone is another first for Nissan and for our team in Sunderland. No other brand has Nissan’s experience or expertise in both battery and vehicle production, and I’m thrilled that over 50,000 customers in Europe share our vision for a zero-emission future.”
UK Transport Minister, Andrew Jones, added the milestone is great news for Nissan and is another example of Britain’s leading role in developing cleaner vehicle technology, which is good for the environment and support jobs and growth. The UK goal is for nearly every car to be zero emission by 2050 and the country is investing £600 million in EVs to make this a reality.
The extended-range Nissan LEAF 30kWh was launched in Europe earlier this year and has a range that is 26 percent further than the previous model, delivering up to 250 kilometres of driving range on a single charge, beating all of its competitors within the segment.
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