- New LEAF receives unprecedented customer interest since European unveil in October 2017
- Strong and consistent demand for New LEAF across European markets confirms growing support for electric vehicles
- Nissan gearing up production to support ‘on-time’ customer deliveries commencing February 2018 – avoiding excessive waiting times
PARIS, FRANCE (December 20, 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, second-generation LEAF EV.
Back in 2010, when the first generation LEAF was introduced in Europe, most competitor brands were very 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.
Nissan, however, has taken everything it has learned since 2010 and packaged it into a brand new vehicle. Six weeks ahead of the formal start of sales, Nissan retailers across Europe have now received 10,000 advanced orders for the car.
At the same point back in 2010, customer 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. It confirms the outstanding capability and sales potential that advanced and accessible electric vehicles bring to the European consumer. We are delivering today the future of Nissan Intelligent Mobility through our new LEAF.”
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 primarily 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, where regenerative braking reduces driver interaction with the brake pedal by 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 currently confirming their full model line-up and launch pricing for new LEAF as formal start of sales approaches.
The new LEAF has recently commenced production at Nissan Europe’s manufacturing facility in Sunderland, UK. Production will swiftly accelerate to optimum speed to support customer demand. Nissan recognises the need to deliver vehicles on time, avoiding the excessive waiting periods.
First customer deliveries will commence from the beginning of February 2018, with orders recorded to date prioritised for delivery across the period through to June 2018.