A round of applause to the good people at the Nissan Sunderland Plant - because the 250,000th Nissan Leaf has just been built there.
The Nissan Sunderland Plant, first opened in 1986, is a massive automotive success story for the UK.
It employs some 6,000 people directly, and supports a further 27,000 supply chain jobs, the bulk of them in the North East of England.
The all-electric Nissan Leaf has been built there since 2012.
And now, 10 years later, a quarter of a million Sunderland-born Leafs have blossomed into existence.
To celebrate, Nissan has used the electric battery of the Leaf to power the lights on a 32 ft Christmas tree.
It’s not just the Leaf that’s crafted at the Nissan Sunderland Plant - the Juke crossover has been built there since 2010 and the Qashqai SUV since 2006.
And Alan Johnson, Vice President Manufacturing at Nissan Sunderland Plant, said: “Passing a quarter of a million Nissan Leaf is a tremendous milestone, and demonstrates the electric vehicle manufacturing expertise we have built up at our plant over the past decade.
“This year we have completely electrified the plant’s line-up with the new versions of Qashqai and Juke launched, so lighting up the Christmas tree with our original EV is a spectacular and appropriate way to end 2022.”
One of the nifty tricks the Leaf can pull is its ‘vehicle-to-grid’ capability, where you can use the electricity stored in the car’s battery to feed back into the grid.
And is the Leaf still relevant for lease customers, a decade after launch?
In our eyes, it really is.
Having enjoyed a major update in 2021, the Leaf is available with two different batteries - a 39 kWh unit producing 150 hp and a range of up to 168 miles, and a larger 59 kWh with power of 214 hp and an extended 239 mile range.
That 239 mile range is still well up there with competitors like the Volkswagen ID.3 and MG4 EV, if falling slightly short of those rivals.
The other great thing about the Leaf is that it’s surprisingly rapid.
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The 59 kWh ‘e+’ battery will accelerate you from 0-62mph in just 6.9 seconds - which is almost hot-hatch territory. Not bad for a mild-mannered family transporter.
It’s also loaded with safety software and boasts a massive 435 litre boot.
You can lease a Nissan Leaf with Select Car Leasing from around £287 per month**
** Prices include VAT. Credit is Subject to Status, Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply. Excess mileage may apply. Stock levels and prices correct as of 16/12/22.
