About 408,000 plug-in vehicle units were sold throughout Europe in 2018
Japanese auto giant Nissan states its compact hatchback named Leaf has become the first electric car to surpass 400,000 figure in sales.
In an announcement Thursday, the automaker stated the landmark figure had established that the Leaf’s “leading role in the global shift toward more sustainable mobility.”
Since its introduction in 2010, owners of the vehicle have, overall, driven more than 10 billion kilometers. Nissan added that the figures of Leaf cars sold since its launch were enough to have saved 3.8 million barrels of oil yearly.
The model was the bestselling electric vehicle in Europe in 2018, Nissan stated. In the U.K., the Leaf’s latest version has a suggested retail price starting at £27,995 ($36,576).
About 408,000 plug-in vehicle units were sold throughout Europe in last year, according to analysis from EV-Volumes. In 2017, there were over 3 million electric and plug-in hybrid cars on the world’s roads, according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Global Electric Vehicles Outlook. This indicates a boost of 54 percent compared to 2016.
Nearly 580,000 electric cars were sold in China in 2017, according to the IEA, whereas 280,000 were sold in the U.S.
While electric vehicles are becoming the car of choice for a rising amount of drivers, they nonetheless face challenges, not least when it comes to perceptions concerning range and charging facilities.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Alternative Fuels Data Center, electric vehicles (EVs) normally have, at present, a shorter range “per charge” compared to conventional vehicles with a tank of gas. Driving conditions and driving habits can impact both the impact and range of EVs, the DOE states.
