Nissan Australia has announced that one-third of all the vehicles it offers in Australia will be electrified by 2022.
Speaking at the local reveal of the all-new Nissan Leaf (not due here until the middle of next year), Nissan Australia boss Stephen Lester said: “Electrified vehicles will represent a third of Nissan volume in Australia during our mid-term plan (2022).
This electrification of its range will be spearheaded by the Nissan Leaf when it goes on-sale here next year.
“By introducing more electric alternatives on several of our key models, we will make mass market electrification a reality.
“I have no doubt electric vehicles will be a success here, and sooner than many think, and Nissan is planning for this now to ensure we meet the future needs of the buyer.”
The new Nissan Leaf has already gone on-sale in other parts of the world and you can read Practical Motoring’s first drive here. Offering 110kW and 320Nm of torque and a 270km driving range, Nissan claims range anxiety is no longer an issue with most buyers, drawing on research that suggests most Australians only drive around 38km a day. Theoretically, then, a Leaf owner would only need to charge their vehicle once each week.
Nissan was at pains to promote the fact the Leaf produces zero emissions and that even if drawing on coal-generated electricity it’s zero emissions help to reduce the carbon footprint. But there remains the question of the emissions produced during production of the vehicle and the carbon offset of that so that the vehicle isn’t behind the eight ball to begin with.
Nissan presented research suggested Australians are ready for electric vehicles but their widespread adoption still seems a long way off given the higher price of entry compared with a similar spec and size vehicle with an internal combustion engine.
And while the Leaf is the world’s best-selling electric vehicle, other car makers are fast catching up and when the Leaf launches here next year it’ll be up against the Hyundai Ioniq which is expected to launch here towards the middle of next year too.
When the Leaf first launched in Australia in 2010, Nissan said it was only offered through 12 dealers but when the new one is launched next year all 89 dealerships across the country will offer the Leaf for sale with charge points, provided by Jet Charge, at each location – it will also be the installer-of-choice for consumer charging infrastructure. Indeed, Nissan was keen to point out it’s not just looking to sell the Leaf but to help drive a mobility revolution and ensure it does its bit to provide EV infrastructure for buyers and owners.
