We know that switching to an electric car can seem daunting at first. Electrifying.com surveyed 15,500 drivers earlier this year and half (49%) admitted that they feel less confident about driving an electric car than they do a petrol or diesel. 

Making the switch is exciting and will bring big advantages, but as the survey showed many of us still have nagging doubts about stepping into the unknown. Will it work for you? Where can you go for advice and how can you be sure the car you’re buying is reliable and will go the distance? 

To help you along the way, you’ll need to talk to experts, which is hopefully why you’ve ended up here. But that could also be the company who makes the car you fancy, or even existing electric car owners. And no-one has longer experience of building affordable electric cars than Nissan and its half million LEAF drivers worldwide.

Nissan has massive electric car experience, having launched this LEAF in 2010

Nissan established itself as a real pioneer with the LEAF, which was first launched more than a decade ago as the world’s first mass-market all-electric car. At a time when most car makers are launching their first all-electric model, the LEAF is celebrating its 10th birthday and is well into its second generation car. 

But the LEAF wasn’t just groundbreaking because it was electric. It was also ahead of its time in connectivity, and was fitted with a SIM card which gave Nissan anonymous data about how people were using their cars. 

​This ground breaking technology meant that Nissan could constantly learn and develop the technology, using the experiences of the millions of miles driven by Nissan electric drivers. They know more than any other company about the way people drive, how they charge and what they expect.

Even the earliest LEAFs had connectivity, which helped Nissan learn about how owners used their cars

The retailers and technicians are all trained and experienced in electric vehicles too, putting them in the best position to guide you through the process and give you advice based on real-world knowledge. It means you can be confident that they will help find the right car for you and ensure you are ready to embrace the positive change of switching to electric.

Nissan’s track record in the past can give you confidence in its products, but it is constantly looking to the future too. As all roads lead to fully electric motoring, Nissan is in a unique position to accelerate a smooth shift.

Nissan's expertise in pure electric is helping create mild hybrid and e-POWER technology used in the All-New Qashqai.

For those who aren’t quite ready to take the full plunge into 100% electric motoring, there are new technologies such as mild hybrid technology, as seen in the All-New Nissan Qashqai, and e-POWER technology coming in 2022. These use the knowledge gained from Nissan’s electric expertise to make petrol-power more efficient. 

For drivers who are ready to go electric, there is exciting news. Next year, the fully electric range will get a new flagship, in the sleek shape of the innovative new Nissan ARIYA. 

This new all-electric crossover is the purest expression of Nissan Intelligent Mobility and a distillation of everything Nissan has learned from the LEAF. 

There will be a choice between 63 kWh and 87 kWh batteries and two or all-wheel drive. It’s range will be up to 310 miles from a full charge with the larger 87kWh battery and has 223 miles of range from the 63kWh^[1].

Nissan ARIYA - the purest expression of Nissan Intelligent Mobility

^​They’re impressive figures, even more so when you think that the first Nissan LEAF had a 24kWh battery with a range of around 100 miles. The LEAF is now available with a 62kWh battery with a range of over 230 miles.^[1]

And Nissan don’t just lead the way when it comes to battery technology. The Nissan LEAF is also one of the most advanced cars when it comes to self-driving capability. When you’d rather the car takes some of the strain of driving, Nissan’s amazing ProPILOT – available on LEAF, All-New Qashqai and ARIYA - can help you out^[2][3]. 

On the motorway, when activated, ProPILOT automatically keeps pace with the flow of traffic, transforming your morning commute into a pleasant way to start the day, while ProPILOT Park makes easy work out of tight parking spots too. Available on LEAF and ARIYA, depending on which model and options you choose, ProPILOT Park will recognise an open space and gently park your car, controlling the steering, accelerator and brakes.^[4]

ProPILOT technology takes some of the strain out of everyday driving [2]

Nissan has also used those years of expertise to make sure the LEAF is as sustainable as possible and 99% of the Nissan LEAF is recyclable at the end of its lifespan. Even the cars’ batteries are recyclable and can be converted into stationary energy storage structures for homes and businesses once their life cycle as a Nissan LEAF battery has ended. 

Nissan LEAF owners have driven almost 9.9 billion zero-tailpipe-emission miles since 2010.^[5]  That’s the equivalent of 400,000 trips around the world. And every one of those miles driven has helped Nissan become the electric experts, there to help you make the switch with confidence. 

[1]  WLTP figures shown are for comparability purposes. Actual real-world driving results may vary depending on factors including the starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted after registration, weather conditions, driving styles and vehicle load. 

[2]  ProPILOT is an Advanced Driver Assist technology but cannot prevent collisions. ProPILOT is intended for “Eyes on/Hands On” for highways only (road separated by barriers). It is the driver’s responsibility to stay alert, drive safely and be in control of the vehicle at all times. For more information, please refer to the owner’s manual or visit www.nissan.co.uk/techterms. 

[3] Xtronic transmission only.

[4]  It is your responsibility to stay alert, drive safely and be in control of the vehicle at all times. Driver assist features have speed and other limitations and should not be solely relied on. For more information, please refer to the owner’s manual or visit www.nissan.co.uk/techterms

[5]  Distance and CO2 data based on Nissan Global Data Center calculation (as of November 2020). Calculation: total distance driven (GDC data, based on approximately 50% of global LEAF volume) / number of Carwings-registered vehicles x total global sales number.

LEAF batteries can have a second life in energy storage banks, such as this one in Amsterdam