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Automobile industry

Nissan LEAF Wins Prestigious European Car of the Year Award

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.'s pioneering electric vehicle, the LEAF, made history by becoming the first electric vehicle to win the European Car of the Year award in 2011. The award recognized the LEAF as a breakthrough for electric cars, outperforming 40 contenders from prominent automakers such as Alfa Romeo, Citroen, and Ford. The jury, comprising 57 leading motoring journalists from 23 European countries, praised the LEAF's competitive performance, safety, spaciousness, and handling.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Nissan LEAF is the first electric vehicle to win the European Car of the Year award, recognizing its breakthrough in the electric car market.
  • The LEAF was considered competitive with conventional cars in terms of safety, performance, spaciousness, and handling, according to the jury.
  • The car features a compact electric motor, a laminated lithium-ion battery, and a range of 175 km (New European Driving Cycle) between charges.
  • The LEAF has a 5-color palette available in Europe, including blue metallic, white pearl, silver metallic, black solid, and red pearl.
  • Deliveries of the LEAF began in Japan and the US in December 2010, with European deliveries starting in early 2011 in Portugal, Ireland, the UK, and the Netherlands.
  • Nissan's production facilities for the LEAF will expand to North America and Europe in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
  • The LEAF is part of Nissan's sustainable mobility vision, with three additional electric vehicles in the pipeline and four more from Renault.
  • Nissan won the European Car of the Year award previously in 1993 with the Nissan Micra, which started Europe's love affair with the little car.

Statistics:

  • The Nissan LEAF was voted as the 2011 European Car of the Year, beating 40 contenders.
  • 57 leading motoring journalists from 23 European countries comprised the jury.
  • The LEAF features a 80 kW electric motor and 280 Nm of torque, with a maximum speed of 145 km/h (90 mph).
  • The car has a range of 175 km (New European Driving Cycle) between charges.
  • Deliveries of the LEAF began in Japan and the US in December 2010.
  • European deliveries of the LEAF started in early 2011 in 4 countries (Portugal, Ireland, the UK, and the Netherlands).

Sources:

  • PRNewswire, "Nissan LEAF Wins Prestigious European Car of the Year Award," November 29, 2010.
  • Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., official press release.

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