New Nissan Leaf lights up London

Nissan marked the official UK ‘on sale’ date of the all-new Leaf by showcasing the 100% EV on Electric Avenue in south London.

To be exact, it was located at the crossroads of the UK’s first electrified street – and one of its most polluted – Electric Avenue and Brixton Road in Lambeth.

Built in Britain at Nissan’s Sunderland plant, the new Leaf is the second generation of the world’s most popular electric vehicle (some 300,000 have been sold worldwide since the first generation model went on sale in 2010).

The fully electric vehicle (EV), which delivers zero emissions whilst driving, goes on sale in the same week that London’s air pollution reached the annual legal limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) – just 30 days into the year. Brixton Road in Lambeth broke the hourly air pollution limit 18 times during January.

Brixton’s Electric Avenue, a landmark market street in south London, provided the perfect backdrop for the new Leaf. Constructed in the 1880s, it was the UK’s first shopping street to be lit by electricity – revolutionary at a time when gas lamps were the norm.

The new model offers hugely improved styling, advanced technologies, a greater range and more power.

It’s also the first Nissan model in Europe to feature ProPILOT, Nissan’s advanced driving assistance technology. It also features an e-Pedal, which allows drivers to start, accelerate, decelerate and stop – simply by using the accelerator pedal.

The model has already received official recognition, being named ‘Best Electric Car’ at the prestigious 2018 What Car? Awards in January.

The new Nissan Leaf is now available to buy nationwide, with prices starting at £21,990 (including a £4,500 Government Grant).

www.nissan.co.uk