Nissan recovering from quake, ramps up Leaf deliveries

We have some good news from the Land of the Rising Sun -- a fresh batch of Leafs are on their way to American shores. At the New York Auto show, Nissan announced that the first shipments of post earthquake-produced EVs should be in the hands of American consumers by April 27th. The company still expects to fulfill current orders by the end of summer and on May 1st will begin accepting new reservations for vehicles in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. Buyers in the southeastern US will be able to join the plug-in parade this fall, to be followed by a nationwide launch in 2012. Now that the auto manufacturing plants are getting back to business as usual following the tsunami that ravaged Japan, we can only hope the rest of the country isn't too far behind. PR after the break.

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Nissan Accelerates LeafF Deliveries To U.S. Consumers; Reopens Reservations In Launch Markets May 1

- New Marketing Campaign Illustrates 'Value of Zero' –
- First post earthquake-produced Nissan LEAF's to arrive in the U.S. this month –
- Deliveries to total many thousands by end of the summer –
- Nissan LEAF featured in Hollywood documentary 'Revenge of the Electric Car' –

Nissan Americas today announced it will accelerate the U.S. market launch of the Nissan LEAF, the world's first and only affordable, all-electric vehicle designed for the mass market. Beginning May 1, the company will reopen reservations to select consumers as both vehicle production and U.S. deliveries move into the many thousands. Nissan completed its first reservation session in September 2010 after achieving its goal of 20,000 U.S. reservations, three months prior to the first Nissan LEAF delivery.

Reservations first will reopen in the launch states of Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Washington. Individuals who already have registered on the Nissan LEAF website – a group that now totals 340,000 potential owners – will be given the first opportunity to reserve a spot in line to purchase a Nissan LEAF.

More markets will follow, with market availability in the southeastern United States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, South Carolina, and Virginia) this fall, and nationwide ordering in 2012.

"Nissan is pleased to report that the first vessel carrying post earthquake-produced Nissan LEAFs is scheduled to arrive to U.S. shores April 27," said Carlos Tavares, Chairman, Nissan Americas, at the keynote address of the New York International Auto Show. "Nissan LEAF deliveries are about to grow from the few hundreds, to the many thousands, and all current customer orders will be fulfilled by the end of this summer."

This announcement comes on the heels of the April 18 debut of Nissan's new ad campaign for the all-electric car, titled "Value of Zero." The campaign is a celebration of the 100-percent electric Nissan LEAF, which uses zero gas and emits zero tailpipe emissions. The campaign tagline, "Zero is Worth Everything," highlights the car and reveals the true value of zero, through topical imagery arranged in the circular shape of a zero.

The Nissan LEAF also is featured in the highly anticipated documentary "Revenge of the Electric Car." Filmmaker and electric-car advocate Chris Paine directs the movie, which follows executives including Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn in his industry-leading pursuit of zero-emission leadership. "Revenge" opens April 22, Earth Day, at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.

More than 500 Nissan LEAFs have been delivered to U.S. consumers since the December 2010 launch of this groundbreaking vehicle. With the help of CARWINGS, the advanced telematics system that comes standard on every Nissan LEAF, the company has compiled aggregate data about the use patterns of these first Nissan LEAF owners. The average trip length of these early adopters is 7 miles; most charge on a Level 2, 220-volt charger at their homes; and the average charging time is 2 hours and 11 minutes. Nissan LEAF owners are a combination of conscientious environmentalists and tech-savvy individuals. They are highly educated, have excellent credit, and are in the nation's top 15 percent for household income.

The week of New York International Auto Show marks the debut of the Nissan LEAF Nismo RC, a purpose-built prototype that wraps production Nissan LEAF components and technology in a dramatic, ready-to-go-racing carbon-fiber body. The Nissan LEAF also is a candidate for the prestigious World Car of the Year and World Green Car of the Year awards, which will be awarded April 21 during the show.

The week culminates in Earth Day, April 22, when the Nissan LEAF will participate in Earth Day 2011 in New York. Nissan, which is a sponsor of the festivities, is participating in a CO2 E Drive – an electric vehicle drive that winds through Manhattan and finishes in Times Square.

In Times Square, a select number of cars from the convoy, which includes the Nissan LEAF, will be profiled in a car runway show where the green features of the car will be described to the assembled media and public.

About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, design, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010 and has been recognized as a 2010 and 2011 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information about Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.Infiniti.com.

About Nissan
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second largest Japanese automotive company by volume, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan and is an integral pillar of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 150,000 employees globally, Nissan provided customers with more than 4 million vehicles in 2010. With a strong commitment to developing exciting and innovative products for all, Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of fuel-efficient and low-emissions vehicles under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. A pioneer in zero emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades including the prestigious 2011 European Car of the Year award.