LeasePlan is the first leasing company to strike a deal that will allow it to offer the Leaf in Europe. The first step will be to purchase 100 EVs and offer them in 13 countries in Europe, starting in early 2011: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
"We have done a great deal of research into potential usage patterns for Nissan LEAF, but there is nothing to beat the real-world experience. By exchanging data with industry leader LeasePlan, we will be better able to understand just how EV customers will use their cars," said Colin Dodge, executive vice president, Nissan.
The Nissan Leaf, the first full EV offered on a massive scale, can run for 100 miles (160 km) on a full charge, thanks to the laminated compact lithium-ion batteries that manage to develop 90 kW. The electric motors produce an additional 80 kW/280 Nm of torque.
Recharging the battery to 80 percent of its capacity can take as little as just 30 minutes thanks to a new charging system developed by Nissan. It will however still take 8 hours to bring the battery to full capacity from a 200V home outlet.
"This agreement with Nissan is a reflection of our drive for innovation in a changing car landscape and further proof of our corporate responsibility towards the environment,” added LeasePlan's CEO Vahid Daemi.
“With the electric Nissan LEAF, we will be able to meet our customers' growing demand for more environmentally friendly modes of transportation."
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