You’ve read the Nissan Leaf in Carshowp on the previous post? Good news, the jury of the 2011 European Car of the Year Award (COTY) announced that the Nissan Leaf is the winner, earning a total of 257 points. This is the first time in the 47-year history of the competition that the award goes to an electric vehicle.
2011 Nissan Leaf is a plug-in EV, it powered by 80 kW (107 hp) AC electric motor that’s fed by a Nissan-developed laminated lithium-ion battery. The EV accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 11.9 seconds and it has a driving range of 175 km (109 mph.
This award recognizes the pioneering zero-emission Nissan LEAF as competitive to conventional cars in terms of safety, performance, spaciousness and handling. It also reflects Nissan’s standing as an innovative and exciting brand with a clear vision of the future of transportation, which we call sustainable mobility. With three other electric vehicles in the pipeline from Nissan – and with the imminent market introduction of four additional electric vehicles from our Alliance partner Renault – Nissan LEAF represents a significant first step toward a zero-emission future.
According to Hakan Matson, President of the Jury that Nissan LEAF is the first EV that can match conventional cars in many respects. While the second position is Alfa Romeo Giulietta with 248 points, the Opel/Vauxhall Meriva took the bronze, with 244 points, the Ford C-MAX/Grand C-MAX 224 points, the Citroën C3/DS3 175 points, theVolvo S60/V60 145 points and the Dacia Duster 132 points.
