NISSAN DELIVERS FIRST ALL-ELECTRIC TAXIS TO BARCELONA AND MADRID
- Delivery marks significant milestone in the expansion of zero-emission transportation to Europe's city centres
Madrid and Barcelona (Tuesday 21st October) - The era of the 100% electric taxi has arrived to Spain's two largest cities, as Nissan delivered its first 100% electric taxis to Madrid and Barcelona. The introduction the Nissan electric vehicles - the Nissan LEAF to Madrid's taxi fleet, and the e-NV200 taxi for Barcelona - brings the option of quiet, zero-emission travel to these bustling city centres.
The Barcelona deliveries served as an important step in the execution of an agreement between Nissan, the City of Barcelona, and the Barcelona Metropolitan area which brings the Barcelona-built e-NV200 to the streets of the city where the revolutionary electric van is produced.
Jean-Pierre Diernaz, Director of Electric Vehicles for Nissan Europe, welcomed the news, commenting: "Declining air quality levels are a top concern across Europe and it's great to see Madrid and Barcelona taking such positive steps in improving air quality through the incorporate of Nissan's all-electric cars into their taxi fleets. These taxi bring a huge benefit not only residents but also for the drivers - thanks to the ultra-low running costs only an electric car can offer. This scheme demonstrates that sustainable transportation is easy and affordable for everyone."
These initiatives reinforce Nissan's continued commitment to electric vehicles as the market continues to develop. September was also the month in which 2014 sales of the pioneering family hatchback passed the 2013 total, with three months still to go.
Madrid:
Madrid has now its first 100% electric Nissan LEAF taxi, the best-selling electric vehicle in the world with more than 142,000 units sold globally. The event was held at Puerta del Sol in Madrid, where the "Zero KM" the measuring starting point of all the Spanish roads is located.
Antonio Berzal Prieto, the first 100% electric taxi driver in Madrid to choose electric technology for his business, declared "When I heard that the Nissan LEAF had been approved as a taxi for the city, I quickly looked into all the options it offered me. In addition to the environmental benefits, the costs of ownership are highly competitive and the car's performance is excellent."
Barcelona:
The delivery of the first three Nissan e-NV200 Taxis took placed during the Expo-electric Formula-e event, one of the most important meetings on sustainable mobility in Europe. Marco Toro, Nissan Iberia Managing Director and Antoni Vives, Deputy Mayor for Urban Habitat at Barcelona City Council, attended the event
The development and introduction of these first three e-NV200 Taxis units is part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed last year between Nissan, the Barcelona City Council and the Barcelona Metropolitan Area, which set out a number of different and significant measures to promote and to sustain the rollout of sustainable mobility in Catalonia Region. The e-NV200 began production in Barcelona in May, with the Catalan city building the electric commercial vehicle for the global market.
*****
About Nissan in Europe
Nissan has one of the most comprehensive European presences of any overseas manufacturer, employing more than 14,500 staff across locally-based design, research & development, manufacturing, logistics and sales & marketing operations. Last year Nissan plants in the UK, Spain and Russia produced more than 695,000 vehicles including mini-MPVs, award-winning crossovers, SUVs and commercial vehicles. Nissan now offers 24 diverse and innovative products for sale in Europe today, and is positioned to become the number one Asian brand in Europe.
About Nissan Motor Co.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 267,000 employees globally, Nissan sold more than 4.9 million vehicles and generated revenue of 9.6 trillion yen (USD 116.16 billion) in fiscal year 2012. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of over 60 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history.
