In terms of per capita sales, Norway is proving to be the leader in terms of Nissan LEAF demand. In Trondheim, the country’s second largest city, the LEAF has proved to be the second best-selling car overall and since October 2011, when the battery electric car was first introduced to the Norwegian market, more than 3,300 units have been sold. Last year, the LEAF became the second most popular Nissan branded vehicle sold in Norway, demand trailing the Qashqai crossover by just 599 units.
Part of the reason attributed to the LEAF’s success is Norway’s progressive approach to zero emissions vehicles, which include generous incentives for buyers as well as zero purchase tax and road fund tax.
Since its introduction in late 2010 (Japan and the U.S. were launch markets), the LEAF (which stands for Leading Environmentally friendly Affordable Family car), has become the world’s most popular battery electric vehicle and although sales initially got off to a slow start, demand has since ramped up. Through February this year, total unit deliveries worldwide had exceeded 50,000 units.
As global demand and availability has increased, Nissan has also been fiddling with the car, making improvements to the telematics system, reducing weight and setting up new production lines, including one at its manufacturing facility in Sunderland, UK and another at its complex in Smyrna, Tenn. in the U.S.
