Revealed: Europe’s best selling electric car in 2013

Nissan Leaf is the top selling electric car – Lease from First Vehicle Leasing

If you’re looking for an efficient, environmentally friendly car to drive on a car lease or contract hire agreement, you’ve probably considered an electric vehicle.

With more and more manufacturers launching electric models, choosing the right car is increasingly tricky.

However, there is one electric car whose sales figures make it the bestselling vehicle of its type in both Europe and the world. Keep reading to learn more about the boom in sales of the world’s most popular electric car.

Nissan LEAF now accounts for one in every three electric cars sold in Europe

If you’re looking for the planet’s most popular electric vehicle to drive on a contract hire or car leasing agreement, you should look no further than the Nissan LEAF. The Japanese manufacturers have announced that sales of the 100 per cent electric Nissan LEAF in Europe rose by 204 per cent in 2013 compared to 2012, and the LEAF sold 25 per cent more units in 2013 than the next best seller in Europe.

The LEAF now commands a third (33 per cent) of the electric vehicle passenger car market in Europe. It sold more than 5,600 more units in 2013 versus 2012, cementing its position as the world’s bestselling 100 per cent electric vehicle.

The success of the Nissan LEAF in Europe has been propelled by consistently strong sales in Norway where it was the third-most sold passenger car last year. It also became country’s best-selling car at the end of January 2014.

Nissan report that sales of the LEAF in other European countries are not far behind. In 2013, the Nissan LEAF was the electric vehicle market leader in many other countries including Spain, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.

Why the Nissan LEAF is the electric car to buy or lease in the UK

Nissan Pathfinder Dash

photo credit: Stevan Sheets

The Japanese motor giant reports that sales of the British-built Nissan LEAF increased by more than 1,000 per cent in January 2014 versus the previous year.

This is partly due to cheap car leasing deals but also to infrastructure improvements across the country. The UK recently saw the installation of the 195th CHAdeMO rapid charger at the Clackett Lane Services on the M25. These chargers can ‘refuel’ a Nissan LEAF from 0-80 per cent battery in just 30 minutes at zero cost to the driver.

Similar results were reported in France for January with a 240 percent increase in year-on-year sales where, for the first time, the Nissan LEAF is the electric vehicle market leader.

Jean-Pierre Diernaz, Director of Electric Vehicles, Nissan Europe, said: “January has been a fantastic start to 2014, a year when we will launch our second 100 percent electric model in Europe – the Nissan e-NV200 light commercial vehicle.

“Our most recent survey following the launch of the improved European-built Nissan LEAF shows that 97 per cent of owners would recommend a Nissan LEAF to a friend, and we believe this, combined with a rapidly expanding charging infrastructure will bring further growth in 2014. We are moving from the early adopters to the early majority.”

Sales of the Nissan LEAF in Europe solidify Nissan’s role as the world’s leading producer of electric vehicles. The car has now sold over 100,000 units globally, and has been widely endorsed by its satisfied owners, with 92 per cent of Nissan LEAF owners being new to the Nissan brand.

 

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