More than 1.14 billion of us will enjoy a domestic holiday this year, including over 42,000 people across Europe who drive a Nissan electric vehicle.
To celebrate the summer travel season, Nissan has identified five of Europe’s most breathtaking electric drives, using its all-electric LEAF – the world’s best-selling electric vehicle – and the e-NV200, its 100 percent electric van.
Nissan travelled along some of Europe’s most beautiful roads, taking in the incredible views and hooking up with the charging points en route.
During the trip, the LEAF and e-NV200 saved approximately 20 kg CO2 emissions, equalling the amount of CO2 a newly planted tree absorbs in a year. This saving illustrates a clear benefit for Nissan EV drivers as they hit the road this summer.
The routes were designed to show off the range, driving capabilities and ease of its class-leading electric vehicles. A convoy of electric vehicles experienced memorable routes in Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, the UK and France.
The journey kicked into gear in Italy in Rieti which is affectionately known as the ‘Italian belly button’, Ombelico d’Italia, the geographical centre of the country. On a whistle stop tour of the Eternal City of Rome, the first LEAF travelled through the stunning villages surrounding the Turano Lake, including the medieval village of Toffia.
Next stop was Barcelona, Spain, as the e-NV200 took a trip down memory lane to where it was launched just over 12 months ago. Before reaching the e-NV200’s place of birth it visited the beautiful coastal town of Sitges, 35 km southwest of Barcelona and noted for its film festival and carnival. On arrival into Barcelona, a city known around the world for famous architect Gaudí’s work but less so for its impressive network of over 130 charging points, the electric van charged into the heart of Barcelona’s Old City. To finish the Spanish leg of the tour, the e-NV200 drove along the stunning coastal road, the C-31, boasting glorious views over the Balearic Sea and the Garraf Massif mountain range.
Challenging some of the misconceptions around electric vehicles, route three on the tour set about covering two countries in Scandinavia in the Nissan LEAF. Already a popular region for the car, Swedish and Norwegian drivers of the all-electric LEAF travel 10,953 miles and 10,242 miles respectively per year compared to an average 7,170 miles in a traditional internal combustion-powered vehicle.
Commencing in Bunkeflostrand in southern Sweden, the convoy headed to Denmark across Øresund Bridge. With sweeping views of the sea as far as the eye could see, the iconic 5 mile bridge was a stunning way to end that ‘leg’ of the tour.
The production home of the Nissan LEAF, Great Britain, staged route four of the trip. Fittingly Bristol, this year’s European Green Capital was the highlight on this particular journey. Having just installed 100 EV charging points throughout the city the vehicles drove over the historic Clifton Suspension bridge, built by the British engineering giant, Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1829. It also took in the sites of Dundry Hill in South Gloucester enjoying some of the South West of England’s finest scenery.
It was now time for the final stop on this breathtaking road trip. The vehicles began in Versailles enjoying the classic tree-lined French roads before passing through the famous Avenue Rockefeller, Forêt domaniale de Fausses-Reposes before entering the French capital, Paris, and on to the banks of the River Seine.
With the all-electric LEAF now in the heart of Paris, the vehicles travelled via the Voie Georges Pompidou before finishing in style at the steps of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
Taking in the Salon du Bourget which will host the UN’s climate conference later this year, the Renault-Nissan Alliance, the world leader in zero-emission mobility, will provide a fleet of 200 all-electric vehicles as the official passenger-car provider for the United Nation’s COP21 climate conference in the French capital.
