The all-electric Nissan LEAF marked another milestone in the history of electric vehicles as it passed the 50,000 sales mark, reinforcing its position as the best selling electric vehicle of all time.

The owners of Nissan LEAF around the world have now covered a total distance of more than 260 million km, greater than the distance from the Earth to the Sun. (Figures are based on all LEAFs registered with the Carwings telemetry system, which is not mandatory and not all vehicles are registered.) All of these kilometers were covered with zero tailpipe emissions, contributing to government’s efforts to reduce levels of harmful NOx and particulate matter in cities. The highest mileage LEAF globally has been revealed as a Japanese customer who has covered more than 175,000 km, in a car that has only been on sale for two years.

In 17 European countries, 7,000 cars are being driven every day, with one customer in Spain has already clocked up over 43,000 km in one year. This is far beyond an average annual mileage and the rapid build up of mileage is testament to the reliability of the award winning EV. This is further demonstrated by its extraordinary customer satisfaction rating of over 95%, the highest of any Nissan vehicle.

In the last 12 months Europe registered significant growth of the CHAdeMO quick charging infrastructure. The number of these chargers which allow batteries to be recharged from empty to 80% battery capacity in around 30 minutes has rocketed from 158 to 601 in the last 12 months. The plans already in place are to more than double by the end of this year the number of installed quick charging installations. These units are being installed at strategic locations such as shopping center car parks or highway service stations, allowing the 50,000 Nissan LEAF owners to push the electric vehicle revolution even further.

The Nissan LEAF was the first mass produced EV winning the European, World and Japanese car of the year 2011. More than 50,000 units have been sold globally since its introduction in December 2010, making Nissan LEAF the world’s most selling electric vehicle. The AC motor develops 80 kW of power and 280 Nm of torque, enough for a maximum speed of 145 km/h. The electric motor is powered by a Nissan-developed laminated lithium-ion battery with an output of more than 90 kW. Recharging from empty to 100% takes eight hours with a normal charger and just 30 minutes from empty to 80% using a quick charger in optimal conditions. Nissan LEAF has been awarded five stars in the tough Euro NCAP tests, making it one of the safest cars on the road. Nissan LEAF comes fully equipped with air conditioning, satellite navigation, rear-view parking camera. European production of the Nissan LEAF will start at Sunderland in 2013.

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