Nissan celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Nissan LEAF electric car with the delivery of the 500,000 LEAF vehicle.
“In marking these milestones, we firstly want to express our appreciation to all the customers who have come on this electrifying journey with us,” said Nissan President and CEO Makoto Uchida. “By switching to electric mobility, customers around the world have brought us all closer to a more sustainable and resilient society.”
The LEAF is produced in Japan, the U.K. and in the United States — including at Nissan’s Smyrna plant in Tennessee. It is sold in 59 markets around the world. Nissan estimates that LEAF owners have driven their cars approximately 16 billion kilometers (approximately 10 billion miles) cumulatively, preventing more than 2.5 billion kilograms of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere.
“Nissan couldn’t have reached this milestone without the great contribution over these 10 years from our dedicated employees all around the world, and from our valued suppliers and dealers,” Uchida said. “Together, we’re working to broaden the options for EV and electrified vehicle adoption so that more people can enjoy the benefits of electric driving.”
To that end, Nissan unveiled its newest EV in July — the Ariya all-electric crossover — which includes the latest in Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies and design. The Ariya is a key model in the company’s NEXT transformation plan, under which the company plans to sell 1 million electrified vehicles annually by 2023, including EVs and vehicles with e-POWER electrified powertrains.
The Nissan Smyrna Assembly Plant, in Tennessee, was Nissan’s first plant in the United States. Opened in 1983, the plant is now one of four U.S. manufacturing facilities. In addition to the Nissan LEAF, the Smyrna facility produces the Maxima, Murano, Pathfinder and Rogue, as well as the Infinity QX60.
