Making history: first all-electric car hits market in Canada
By Contributor
Today Nissan Canada made history when it delivered the first all-electric Nissan LEAF in Canada, signaling the arrival of sustainable mobility to the Canadian mass market.
PowerStream, the second largest municipally-owned electricity distribution company in Ontario, received keys to its two white Nissan LEAFs MY11, at an event at its head office in Vaughan, Ontario.
“Electricity is the new fuel for cars and drivers have the freedom to choose a future with no tailpipe emissions or dependence on fossil fuels,” said Allen Childs, President of Nissan Canada, Inc. “This Nissan LEAF delivery is just the beginning of the sustainable mobility movement in Canada.”
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.
To be eligible to reserve a Nissan LEAF, consumers must be registered on www.nissan.ca/leaf and live within the vicinity of a Nissan LEAF certified dealer.
Those meeting these criteria will receive an email in the coming weeks with all the details on how and when to order a Nissan LEAF.
Reservations will be very limited for MY 11 and made on a first-come-first-served basis. A second wave of reservations will be available in the coming months for the 2012 Nissan LEAF and as production ramps up and more cars become available, reservations will open to the broader public.
The first Canadian markets to receive the Nissan LEAF are those in which Nissan has formed partnerships with local or provincial governments along with utilities, to foster the development of electric vehicle-friendly policies and an EV-charging infrastructure, which will help ensure the best possible ownership experience.
To date, Nissan has partnerships in Canada with:
- The Province of British Columbia, the City of Vancouver and BC Hydro
- The Government of Québec, the City of Montréal, Québec City and Quebec Hydro
- The City of Toronto
- The Government of Manitoba and Manitoba Hydro
About the Nissan LEAF
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 per cent 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.
