Nissan celebrated with Rishabh Mehandru of Portland, Oregon, as he purchased the 75,000th Nissan LEAF in the United States. This is Mehandru’s second Nissan LEAF after leasing his first one two years ago in an effort to reduce the emissions he was putting into the air.
“I’m a runner, and when I ran outside I found that I was inhaling a lot of exhaust from the gas-powered cars that passed me on the roads,” said Mehandru. “I instantly became aware of the amount of fuel I was burning, and that’s when I first decided that I wanted to get an electric car.”
Mehandru, senior engineer at Intel, has a commute of about 30 miles and enjoys the spirited driving experience Nissan LEAF has to offer.
“When the lease was up on my first Nissan LEAF, I knew that I didn’t want any other car. I had to have another Nissan LEAF,” said Mehandru. “I love how quickly I can get up to speed on the highway—even my three-year-old son notices how zippy it is—and I like that I don’t have to stop for gas.”
Mehandru’s excitement for his electric car is contagious, and he recently convinced a friend to also purchase a Nissan LEAF.
“Rishabh’s enthusiasm for his LEAF is a perfect example of what we call the cul-de-sac effect,” said Brendan Jones, director, Nissan Electric Vehicle Sales and Infrastructure. “With more and more Nissan LEAF owners on the road, we see shoppers coming in already educated on LEAF’s benefits because they got to drive one that belongs to a friend or neighbor. It’s that kind of word-of-mouth that really drives Nissan LEAF sales.”
Clint Edwards, sales manager at Carr Nissan in Beaverton, Oregon, sold Mehandru his black 2015 Nissan LEAF SV. Edwards explained that many of the LEAF buyers today, like Mehandru, are current LEAF owners looking to upgrade to the latest model.
“We see a fairly even mix of new and returning customers, and it’s equally exciting to work with both groups,” said Edwards. “With new customers, I get to give them the show and educate them on all the benefits that LEAF has to offer. When we get returning LEAF customers, I get to show them the exciting features that have been added since they purchased their first electric car.”
With seating for up to five passengers, the all-electric Nissan LEAF boasts an EPA-estimated driving range of 84 miles on a fully-charged battery and MPGe ratings of 126 city, 101 highway and 114 combined.
The starting price of a Nissan LEAF is about $22,000 after the available maximum $7,500 federal tax credit, and LEAF offers the benefits of lower running costs and less scheduled maintenance. LEAF offers a wide range of standard equipment plus a variety of available premium features such as leather seats, 17-inch alloy wheels and 7-speaker BOSE energy efficient audio system.
