From this month, visitors to London can rent 100 per-cent electric Nissan LEAF hatchbacks from Europcar.
Especially in winter, smog is a problem in the two capitals – among the busiest cities in the world – so any reduction in the number of internal combustion vehicles on the streets is to be encouraged. In fact extrovert London Mayor Boris Johnson wants to make England’s biggest city the electric car capital of Europe.
An upside for Nissan is the ‘extended test drive’. Renters can evaluate the Nissan LEAF for their next new car by renting before they buy.
Nissan says the LEAF’s range between re-charges of 175kms is more than the total daily distance covered by 90 per cent of British drivers.
But of course vehicle battery re-charging is not second nature to most people, so Europcar has specially-trained representatives who will give each Nissan LEAF renter a personal, thorough briefing before they hit the roads. In addition, while Europcar normally levies a fee for re-fuelling every diesel and petrol car it hires, each electric Nissan LEAF will be re-charged for free.
The pilot scheme will run in London and Paris for three months and Nissan will be using feedback from LEAF renters to help it formulate the electric car future.
