The Renault-Nissan Alliance says it has sold its 250,000th electric vehicle (EV): a white Renault ZOE sold to a French engineer.
The Alliance reached the milestone in early June, four-and-a-half years after the launch of the Nissan LEAF. The Alliance claims it accounts for half of the EVs sold worldwide and the Nissan LEAF remains the best-selling EV, with more than 180,000 units sold.
From January through May, the Alliance sold about 31,700 EVs – up nearly 15% over the same period of last year.
‘Demand for our electric vehicles continues to grow, thanks to government incentives and the expanding charging infrastructure,’ says Carlos Ghosn, chairman and CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. ‘The positive response of our customers is also driving demand. These vehicles enjoy some of the highest levels of satisfaction rates from our customers around the world.’
The 250,000th owner is Yves Nivelle, a computer engineer who traded in his 21-year-old diesel car for the subcompact Renault ZOE. Nivelle bought his EV after the French government introduced an environmental bonus in April to allow owners of older, polluting diesel cars to trade them in and get a rebate on a new EV.
‘The government's environmental bonus was a big factor in my decision to get an EV,’ says Nivelle. ‘But I have to say, I was convinced the first time I drove the car. It's a real pleasure to drive, and it feels good to do my part for the environment.’
In addition to the LEAF, Nissan also sells the e-NV200 van, which has been on sale in Europe and Japan since last year. In addition to the ZOE, Renault also sells the Renault Kangoo Z.E van, the SM3 Z.E. sedan and the Twizy, a two-seater urban commuter vehicle.
