LEAF ready to drop

Nissan International has announced UK (and some European) prices of its all-electric LEAF.

The zero-emission five-seater goes on sale in the UK in February 2011, with a pricetag that takes into account the incentives offered by the British government.

The launch will follow LEAF's introduction to Japanese and US markets in September/October this year.

The UK price will be pegged at 23,300 Pounds Sterling (approximately A$38,600) which, the company claims, is "about the same as a comparably-equipped diesel or hybrid vehicle" -- such as a VW Golf diesel or Toyota Prius.

The UK price, Nissan points out, includes the massive under-floor battery pack that is the LEAF's lifeblood. Early in the buildup to the LEAF becoming a production reality, the company had been suggesting a separate financing deal for the battery pack, largely due to public concern about cost and durability.

Nissan says the LEAF is inexpensive to run -- generally less than a conventional petrol-engined car -- and is in line to benefit from other concessions offered by various governments keen to see pure electric vehicles on their roads.

These include zero vehicle excise duty and zero company car tax for five years in the UK.

Britain is also spending big on infrastructure for electric vehicles, with a massive programme that will see thousands of charging stations established in the near future.

Both Nissan and alliance partner Renault will offer electric vehicles, the latter including the Fluence sedan and Kangoo minivan.

Simon Thomas, the Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Nissan International SA, says: "The Renault-Nissan Alliance is investing over four billion Euros (A$5.7 billion) in electric vehicles, with eight products across three brands.

"This investment includes five battery plants and seven confirmed assembly plants, including Sunderland in the UK."  Nissan says it expects electric vehicles to comprise around 10 per cent of the global market by 2020.

The LEAF's battery pack includes nearly 50 "flat stacks" weighing 2.5kg apiece and provides a range of approximately 160km. The electric motor develops 80kW/280Nm to deliver what we can assume is decent accelerative punch.

Nissan Australia says the LEAF will arrive locally in early 2012, although it is a long way from fixing prices. This is because, as yet, there is little government interest in electric vehicles other than what Nissan corporate communications manager Jeffrey Fisher describes as "support in kind" at state level in Victoria and the ACT.

Nissan and the FCAI are actively involved in pushing the case although whether they will manage to have any influence before the LEAF's introduction -- and after both state and federal elections -- is open to question.

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