Nissan has finally announced its all-electric Nissan LEAF will be priced at under 30,000 Euros ($38,100) after incentives in most of its European launch markets.
This means that the LEAF electric car will be costlier in Europe than in the U.S. even with incentives. Nissan set the LEAF price at $32,780 (€25,800) before a federal tax credit of $7,500 (€5,900).
The company also announced specific prices for the UK, Netherlands, Republic of Ireland and Portugal, the four initial European launch markets for the Nissan LEAF. Reservations will begin in July.
Most European countries will allow various incentives to be taken at the point of purchase, the exception being the Netherlands.
In the United Kingdom, the purchase price of the Nissan LEAF would be 23,350 Pounds (27,471 Euros) after government incentives. The price, which includes the battery, is 28,350 Pounds (33,353 Euros) before incentives. The UK government recently announced that it will refund 25 percent of the purchase price of a pure electric vehicle, up to a limit of 5,000 Pounds. The Nissan LEAF goes on sale in the UK in February 2011.
The purchase price in the Netherlands will be 32,839 Euros (28,068 Pounds). Here, subsidies will take the form of zero vehicle registration and road taxes, resulting in tax savings of 6,000 Euros for private car owners and 19,000 Euros for company car owners over five years. Sales in the Netherlands begin this December.
The price in the Republic of Ireland is 29,995 Euros (25,637 Pounds) after 5,000 Euros in government incentives. Buyers will be exempt from vehicle registration tax, which can amount to as much as 3,800 Euros on a C-segment car. Sales in Ireland begin in February next year.
The price in Portugal is 29,955 Euros (25,603 Pounds) after 5,000 Euros in government incentives. Portuguese customers owning the Nissan LEAF benefit from road tax exemption. Sales in Portugal begin this December.
Nissan has decided to launch in these countries first due to significant government incentives for electric cars, and the ongoing development of charging infrastructure for their successful adoption. By the end of next year, Nissan LEAF will be available in every major Western European country.
Production of the Leaf will commence at Sunderland in February 2013 and the plant will build 50,000 units per year on the same production line as the Note and Juke crossover.
