Are You Ready for the Future?

Nissan Leaf Blowing up a Storm in Norway

The new eco-car from Nissan, the Leaf, has been proven extremely popular in Norway, statistics have revealed.

The Leaf has taken up 2% of the total marketing in February; an impressive statistic for a vehicle that many thought would simply flop due to the idea that the world is not yet ready to make the switch to electric powered motors.

The Nissan Leaf

Nissan claim that these sales have come directly from comprehensive incentives and a ‘developed charging infrastructure.’

Support from the Norwegian Government have helped Nissan and the Leaf become the second best selling Nissan in Norway, also grabbing a top 10 spot in overall car sales in February. Perhaps this should come as no surprise however, as Norway are known for it’s high level of support in Europe for electric vehicle purchases with zero VAT, new car tax, free parking and exemption from some tolls – as well as the use of bus lanes in the capital, Oslo.

The country boasts thousands of vehicle charging points, and Oslo again has over 3,500 of them – all public and a large chunk of them are free to use.

Paturet, General Manager, Nissan

Olivier Paturet, General manager at Zero Emissions Strategy, Nissan (Europe), was said to be delighted at these latest results. He stated “We are happy to see that the ambition of the Norwegian Government has matched our own with strong support for the widespread introduction of electric vehicles.”

Norway truly are leaps and bounds ahead of many other European countries with their electric vehicle support. Recharging stations are established and accessible, incentives are put in place to promote the sales for a cleaner country and we can truly see that Norway is going to be a leading force when it comes to electric powered vehicles.

So, in 2012 and the years the come – we expect to see some real contenders in the EV market. As of right now, well you still have a lot of options for your money – but where do you start? Below is a list of the ‘voted top-5’ electric vehicles currently on the market and those which are said to be released soon; watch your space, things are about to get a bit shocking.

Vauxhall Ampera:- £33,995

-         The Ampera is an electric car with a bit of a twist. This vehicle runs mostly on a set of lithium-ion batteries – which can be charged from your plugs at home! It provides both petrol and electrical power, giving you that safety net should the juice run dry. You’ve got about 35miles until that’ll happen though!

Toyota Prius Hybrid ‘Plug-in’:- £31,000

-         This vehicle has long been a standing member of the EV range, it’s known for being the grandfather of eco-friendly cars. It has an impressive c02 of just 49g/km and on 134.5mpg, that’s quite the statistic.

Tesla Model S:-  £36,450

-         This will be the first fully electric premium saloon and will go bonnet-to-bonnet, wheel to wheel with the likes of the 5-Series and the E-Classes. Tesla plan to give you the choice of what battery pack you want, offering 160/230/300 miles ranges, which will sweep any range-anxieties under the carpet. You’re gonna have a lot of comfort in this one too, with a planned 17” Dash-mounted displayed with next-gen sat-nav with internet access. How about that for a luxury?

Renault Fluence ZE:- £22,850

-         A cheap alternative thrown in here but for a strange reason. Buying this car means you have to lease batteries from Renault. Sounds a bit crazy right? Not completely. The batteries are leased on what sort of mileage you’ll be doing, for example, if you leased 6,000 worth of batteries (costing you around £88 a month) – then you’d renew when you’d finished those. If this turns you away, think about this:- The Fluence will most likely have stronger resale values than most rivals because its next owner will have no worries about the battery condition.

Say Hello to Karma

Fisker Karma:- £80,000 (ouch!)

-         I say ouch…it’s a lot of money, but is it worth it? The Karma is a beautiful looking (if not a bit sinister) EV. Sleek, shiny, sporty – you’d never guess batteries powered it. You’ll have two electric motors and a 20kWh battery pack will drives each of the rear wheels for up to 50miles, which should be enough for the daily commuters and city dwellers. The stats Fisker have given us are sceptical, but not impossible. They claim 0.60mph will be achieved in under 6 seconds and a top speed of 143mpg – so thrilling too! This one is set to shake the automotive industry, better start saving those pennies.