Ahead of its local launch in 2012, Nissan will supply 16 LEAF electric vehicles for trial by the Victorian Government.
The good-looking LEAF – a mid-size hatchback – will be launched by Nissan in North America and Japan later this year before going on-sale in Europe in early 2010. Using the latest lithium-ion battery technology, the LEAF offers a driving range of 160kms when fully charged – easily able to provide zero emissions driving for most city dwellers in their daily lives.
Nissan Australia plans to display a LEAF at next month’s Australian International Motor Show in Sydney.
The five-year trial with the Victorian Government will help regulators understand real-world electric vehicle use and identify any barriers for the technology.
Private households will be invited to join the trial via a ballot system being run by the RACV.
Other users will include private and Government fleets, providers of recharging infrastructures and electricity suppliers, distributors and retailers.
One item to be studied is the impact on electricity consumption and management of demand. This should be minimal as a study by the University of Adelaide concluded that if every car in the ACT became electric in one day and all plugged-in simultaneously for a re-charge, the electricity demand would equal that of a cold night when residents in the Nation’s Capital turned on their heating appliances.
