Electric dreams come true as the world’s first mass-market electric vehicle reaches historic milestone

2020/12/16

• Nissan LEAF owners prevent 2.5 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions from entering the environment
• 500,000 LEAF drivers cover a staggering 16 billion clean air kilometresⁱ since the iconic EV's launch ten years ago
• 100% electric and packed with advanced technology, the Nissan LEAF set the standard for mainstream electric vehicles

PARIS – Nissan marks a historic milestone this month as the world's first mass-market all-electric vehicle, driven by more than 180,000 EV enthusiasts across Europe, reaches its tenth birthday.

During that time LEAF owners have prevented a massive 2.5 million tonnes of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere every year, while covering enough kilometres to drive around the earth 400,000 times!

Announcing the significant global milestone, Gianluca de Ficchy, Chairman of Nissan AMIEO, said: "With more than half a million LEAF sold globally, customers continue to embrace this pioneering electric vehicle. In celebrating how far we have come, we are pleased to highlight the impact our owners have made, leading us all towards a greener future. We are immensely proud of LEAF and our EV heritage and look forward to its innovative future."

A cleaner future with zero tailpipe emissions
As its battery capacity, performance and efficiency have continued to improve, the Nissan LEAF has attracted the biggest and most loyal driver community worldwide. Owners have collectively travelled approximately 16 billion clean air kilometres since launch. This reaffirms Nissan's mission to deliver a more sustainable and cleaner future.

The total number of LEAF sold globally has successfully prevented 2.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from entering the environment. It would take almost 100,000,000 trees to remove that amount of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere if released directly.

Efficient power and the thrill of electrified driving
Equipped with a zero emission powertrain, the LEAF is optimised from the ground up, delivering a fully electrified driving experience. Echoing the lightning-fast LEAF NISMO RC it inspired, LEAF delivers instant torque and exhilarating power, accelerating from 0 to 100 km (62mph) in 6.9 seconds.

On average, it can regenerate 744 kWh of clean energy every year when driven 18,000 kilometres - enough to power a mobile phone for 372 yearsⁱⁱⁱ.

Bringing excitement to our owners
To add to the 10 years celebration, Nissan and the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour bring excitement to some lucky LEAF owners who will have the opportunity to receive the UCL Trophy at home and enjoy a virtual exchange with UEFA ambassadors, such as the legend Clarence Seedorf. From December to February, the UCL Trophy will be travelling to Spain, Italy, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom. 

Travelling towards an electrified future
"As customer demand for EVs expands, and the need for them to be embedded into our daily lives increases, Nissan is committed to developing advanced electrified cars with technologies that help drivers feel more confident, connected and excited to join the EV revolution, said Arnaud Charpentier, Region Vice President, Product Strategy and Pricing, Nissan AMIEO. He added: "Drawing on the fun to drive nature of LEAF and its rich heritage, Nissan is developing a growing line-up of advanced electrified cars."

In July this year, Nissan unveiled the all-electric crossover coupe Ariya. The Ariya embodies Nissan's strengths in electric vehicle development and features the latest in Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies and design.

The Ariya is a key model in the company's Nissan NEXT transformation plan, under which Nissan plans to sell 1 million electrified vehicles annually by 2023, including EVs and vehicles with e-POWER electrified powertrains.

Join Nissan's ‘Electrify the World' movement by following on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and by using the hashtag #ElectrifyTheWorld

Discover more about the 100% electric Nissan LEAF and Nissan products on Nissan Europe consumer sites, visit www.nissan-europe.com.

To view the Decade by the Numbers in full, visit here.

For more information about Nissan's products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit nissan-global.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.

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Notes to editors

Nissan LEAF e-Pedal and B mode

Two driving functions provide energy regeneration in the Nissan LEAF. The Nissan LEAF e-Pedal allows the driver to start, accelerate, decelerate and stop using only the accelerator pedal. The e-Pedal helps the car to harvest energy via regenerative braking. This works by recycling the energy from the movement of the car during braking or deceleration, which then goes straight back to the batteries, where it is used to recharge them. Meanwhile, B-mode is a driving function that regenerates energy under braking, with drivers using the traditional brake pedal as normal.

ABOUT NISSAN IN THE UK

• Nissan Sunderland Plant produces the Nissan Qashqai, Juke, Infiniti Q30 and the 100% electric Nissan LEAF
• Production of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles began in 2012
• Total plant volume since 1986 stands at more than 9 million units with 80 per cent of production exported to over 100 markets worldwide
• Total investment made and announced since then is over £4.0 billion
• 495,645 units were produced at Sunderland plant in 2017
• Employment in Nissan’s UK design studio (Paddington, London), technical centre (Cranfield Bedfordshire), manufacturing plant (Sunderland, Tyne and Wear) and sales and marketing operations (Maple Cross, Hertfordshire) now totals more than 8,000.
• A further 28,000 jobs in Nissan’s UK supply chain and 4,000 in its UK dealer network takes the total British jobs supported by Nissan to more than 40,000

About Nissan in Europe
Nissan has one of the most comprehensive European presences of any overseas manufacturer, employing more than 16,000 staff across locally based design, research & development, manufacturing, logistics and sales & marketing operations. In 2018, Nissan plants in the UK, Spain and Russia produced about 600,000 vehicles including award-winning crossovers, commercial vehicles and the Nissan LEAF, Europe’s most selling electric vehicle in 2018. Pursuing a goal of zero emissions and zero fatalities on the road, Nissan is leading the field with its vision of Intelligent Mobility. Designed to guide Nissan’s product and technology pipeline, this 360 degree approach to the future of mobility will anchor critical company decisions around how cars are powered, how cars are driven, and how cars integrate into society.
http://www.newsroom.nissan-europe.com 

About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, INFINITI and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2018, the company sold 5.52 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 11.6 trillion yen. Nissan’s global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, manages operations in six regions: Asia & Oceania; Africa, the Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America; and North America. Nissan has partnered with French manufacturer Renault since 1999 and acquired a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors in 2016. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance sold 10.76 million vehicles combined in calendar year 2018.

For more information about our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit nissan-global.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.

ⁱ GDC ASSUMPTION figures, based on GDC RAW data for distance/CO₂’
ⁱⁱ with one tree able to take in a total of 14kilograms of CO₂ every year
ⁱⁱⁱ With a mobile phone typically using 2 kWh/year: https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/how- much-electricity-does-a-home- use.html#:~:text=All%20laptops%2C%20tablets%20and%20phones,little%20as%202%20kWh%2Fyear