Nissan celebrates with convertible LEAF Open Air

Nissan has unveiled a convertible version of its pure-electric LEAF at an event over the weekend in Tokyo.

Called the LEAF Open Air, the battery-powered drop top is claimed to help celebrate 100,000 sales of the first- and second-generation LEAF in the Japanese market.

Since production began back in 2010, Nissan has sold more than 300,000 LEAFs globally with the car maker, along with its premium brand Infiniti, on track to sell one million pure-electric vehicles annually by 2022.

Sadly, for those desiring zero-emission wind-in-the-hair motoring, the LEAF Open Air has been ruled-out for production but since the four-seat, two-door convertible appears to lack a folding roof mechanism – perhaps that's a good thing.

Under the skin, the convertible comes with the standard car's 40kWh lithium ion batteries that provides a verified range of 285km on the most recent WLTP testing.

Nissan has already announced that over the next five years it plans to launch six pure-electric vehicles, with four created just for the Chinese market.

One crucial addition will be the arrival of Nissan's first-ever battery-powered SUV that will sit on the same platform as the LEAF.

Set to lift its design from the iMx concept, the LEAF-based SUV will enter production in 2020.

Expected to come with a range of more than 500km, the electric Nissan SUV is likely to get dual motors, with one powering each axle, providing all-wheel drive.