Nissan Canada announces reservation process for all-electric Nissan LEAF
- Leading Infrastructure provider AeroVironment selected to supply home charging solutions -
Today Nissan Canada announced the reservation process for the Nissan LEAF, which will see the first Canadian consumers in the all-electric car this fall. Nissan will carefully manage the purchase process from the first step, when consumers sign up on www.nissan.ca/leaf, until the customer drives the Nissan LEAF home and plugs it into a personal charging dock. Early interest in the Nissan LEAF has been highly encouraging with over 15,000 Canadians registered on the microsite.
Through Model Year 12, Nissan expects to release around 600 Nissan Leaf on the Canadian market. In addition to these MY 12 models, Nissan Canada has secured 100 MY11 Nissan LEAFs with 40 allocated to consumers, ahead of the arrival of MY12 cars which will start to arrive later this year.
Reservations for the MY11 Nissan LEAFs will open at the end of August, with delivery dates to those consumers in early fall. Within a short time, reservations will reopen for MY12 orders.
“We’re excited to be able to offer a limited number of 2011s to Canadians, who are anxious to be among the first to own one of the most innovative cars in the market,” said Judy Wheeler, Director of Marketing, Nissan Canada, Inc. “We’re rolling out the reservation process in stages because we anticipate demand to exceed supply until 2013, when we reach full production capacity at the new plant in Tennessee.”
In late August, Nissan will open up the first opportunity to reserve a Nissan LEAF to those registered on the website (www.nissan.ca/leaf) and who live within the vicinity of a Nissan LEAF-certified dealer (dealer list will be confirmed in the coming weeks). With 40 MY11 Nissan LEAFs available, orders will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Within a short time, reservations will re-open for the first wave of 2012 cars allocated to the Canadian market.
Reservation Process:
- In late August, reservations will open to those registered at www.nissan.ca/leaf and living within the vicinity of a Nissan LEAF certified dealer. All details, including exact timing for the opening of reservations, will be distributed via email in advance.
- A $99 reservation fee (fully refundable) is required to secure a reservation.
- After booking a home-charging assessment, customers will receive an invitation to order a Nissan LEAF.
- Customers request a quote from a local Nissan LEAF-certified dealer and will continue through the sales process until they drive away in their own Nissan LEAF.
Nissan Canada also announced today that Nissan supplier AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) is expanding into Canada and will supply electric vehicle home-charging docks and web-enabled installation services supporting the introduction of the Nissan LEAF. AeroVironment’s home-charging docks are designed to provide a safe and reliable charge when installed with a connection to a 240-volt line. It will take only seven hours to fully charge the Nissan LEAF from a fully discharged state.
Home charging represents a practical and convenient “refueling” method for Nissan LEAF customers. To enable the swift installation of charging docks AeroVironment’s network of qualified, licensed electricians will offer pre-installation home assessment services prior to vehicle delivery, and install according to each home’s layout and the individual driver’s needs.
“Part of Nissan’s commitment to bringing zero-emission mobility to the mass market is providing a one-stop service for the new car owner, which is why we chose to partner with AeroVironment,” added Wheeler. “By the time drivers pick up their Nissan LEAFs, they will be able to charge their vehicles safely overnight in their own homes.”
About the Nissan LEAF
One of the industry’s most-discussed vehicles for good reason, Nissan LEAF™ is the first all-electric production vehicle in the world and was recently names the 2011 World Car of the Year.
Nissan LEAF is a medium-size hatchback with ample cargo space and seating for five adults comfortably. With a range of 160 kilometres (EPA LA4 cycle) on one full charge, Nissan LEAF provides 90% of Canadians with the range needed for daily commutes. With a 240 volt home charging dock full charge is achieved in seven hours, and with a Level 3 Quick Charger, 80% charge can be achieved in just 26 minutes.
Powered by a lithium-ion battery, Nissan LEAF generates 107 horsepower, 207 lb-ft of torque providing a highly responsive, fun-to-drive experience. Because there’s no traditional engine, Nissan LEAF is ultra-quiet and for safety reasons a sound had to be added so pedestrians could hear the car coming. In April, Nissan LEAF was awarded a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The instrument panel provides the driver with regular updates on range and driving efficiency, and using a telematics system called CARWINGS, the driver can communicate with the car via a smart phone with the ability to turn on the air conditioning or heat remotely, and manage and monitor charging.
