Nissan LEAF Goes the Distance in a Wild Drive across Europe
PARIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The 100 percent electric Nissan LEAF has taken to the roads of Europe for an all-electric Grand Tour, travelling across Europe’s most breath-taking rural and coastal driving routes.
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(Photo: Nissan Europe)
The epic journey saw the Nissan LEAF take on six of the most beautiful drives in Italy, Spain, Germany, Norway, Scotland and France; including Italy’s iconic Mount Etna and historic cities, such as Granada, Spain, and Marseille, France.
The new LEAF 30 kWh journeyed over 650 km on an adventure to visit Europe’s most spectacular destinations, showcasing its low running costs of just €3 per 100 km.
Across Europe, 54 percent of drivers would prefer to travel by car rather than by any other form of transport, but with many concerned about the cost of fuel, Nissan has proven itself to be the ultimate travel companion.
With the LEAF’s 30 kWh battery now offering 250 km in driving range* and as many as 2,800 quick chargers installed across Europe, driving a zero-emission car is more practical and enjoyable than ever before, giving EV drivers total peace of mind to enjoy longer cross country drives.
Gareth Dunsmore, Director of Electric Vehicles at Nissan Europe, said: “The Nissan LEAF is much more than just a city car and is an ideal zero-emission solution. With five seats and 370 litres standard luggage capacity, the Nissan LEAF 30 kWh is perfect for those long family getaways this summer. LEAF’s low running costs and quiet drivetrain make family holidays cheaper and more peaceful than ever before.
“What’s more, the Grand Tour demonstrates Nissan’s commitment to our vision for intelligent mobility, showing how innovative technologies are helping to integrate EVs into modern family life.”
Nissan pioneered the EV movement with the introduction of the world’s first mass-market EV, the Nissan LEAF, in 2010. Since then it has gone on to sell over 228,000 LEAFs globally, with more than 59,000 of these gracing the roads of Europe, making it the world’s best ever selling electric vehicle.
For more information about Nissan’s electric vehicle range, visit www.nissan.eu/experience-nissan.html
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*NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) value
** http://www.djsresearch.co.uk/TransportAndDistributionMarketResearchInsightsAndFindings/article/More-people-in-Europe-choose-to-travel-by-car-rather-than-public-transport-survey-finds-01909
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Additional information on the European Tour destinations:
The series of drives started off in Norway, journeying from island to island on the country’s famous and breath-taking Atlantic Road, one of the world’s most scenic drives. The 891 km road includes no less than eight bridges and is a cultural heritage site.
Scotland marked the next stage of the tour of Europe and a journey from Dumfries to Clatteringshaw’s Loch. A serene location for wild camping and a chance to see some of the great wildlife the loch is noted for, including Red Deer and Golden Eagles. Though a traditional landscape, Scotland also lays claim to over 600 charge points.
Challenging some of the misconceptions around electric vehicles, route three on the tour saw the Nissan LEAF take to the road in Granada, Spain. This drive took the Nissan LEAF from the historic city of Granada, with its sprawling hilltop fortress of Alhambra, to the beautiful turquoise reservoir at Embalse de Francisco Abellan.
The mountain views of Sierra Nevada were a magnificent back drop to enjoy some wild swimming. The road trip continued in Italy, taking in a spectacular mountain drive on the volcanic Italian island of Sicily. Starting out from Oasi del Simeto, the Nissan LEAF headed up the dramatic slopes of Mount Etna, known to be one of the most active volcanoes on Earth.
The penultimate drive took place in to France, with a stunning coastal drive along the Mediterranean. The drive started out from Cassis, to the oldest city in the country, Marseille. The picturesque port supplied great views and delicious sea food. This is a region that is both beautiful and great for electric vehicle drivers.
At the end of the European wild drive adventure, the Nissan LEAF headed to Germany and another mountain climb, this time starting off in the aptly named Pilgrimage Church of Wies, and heading up into the Alps. The wild drive took in the beautiful wooded countryside of the region’s famous Black Forest.
The drive finished up at Neuschwanstein Castle, a Romanesque Revival palace, built atop of a rugged hill, above the village of Hohenschwangau, in southwest Bavaria. With the castle as a backdrop to the final activity, wild walking, this journey marked a fittingly memorable conclusion to the electric Grand Tour.
ABOUT NISSAN IN EUROPE
Nissan has one of the most comprehensive European presences of any overseas manufacturer, employing more than 17,000 staff across locally-based design, research & development, manufacturing, logistics and sales & marketing operations. Last year Nissan plants in the UK, Spain and Russia produced more than 635,000 vehicles including award-winning crossovers, commercial vehicles and the Nissan LEAF, the world’s most popular electric vehicle. Pursuing a goal of zero emissions and zero fatalities on the road, Nissan recently announced its Intelligent Mobility vision. Designed to guide Nissan’s product and technology pipeline, this 360 degree approach to the future of mobility will anchor critical company decisions around how cars are powered, how cars are driven, and how cars integrate into society. Nissan is positioned to become the most desirable Asian brand in Europe.
http://www.newsroom.nissan-europe.com
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Contacts
Nissan Europe
Cedric Ratinaud, Tel: +33 616 643 481
CRatinaud@nissan-europe.co.uk
or
Nissan Europe
Yesica Romeo, Tel: +33(0)782 138 189
YRomeo@nissan-europe.com