of nissan unveils zero-emission hatchback "leaf"

Nissan unveils zero-emission hatchback "Leaf": Nissan unveils a electric car hatchback prototype which it calls "Leaf". Nissan will begin selling the first Leaf cars in the United States, Japan and Europe toward the end of 2010.


[photo via Reuters]

Nissan Motor Co took the wraps off its much-awaited electric car on Sunday, naming the hatchback "Leaf" and taking a step toward its goal of leading the industry in the zero-emissions field.

Japan's No.3 automaker and its French partner, Renault SA, have been the most aggressive proponents of pure electric vehicles in the auto industry, announcing plans to mass-market the clean but expensive cars globally in 2012.

Nissan will begin selling the first Leaf cars in the United States, Japan and Europe toward the end of 2010, adding two more models soon after. It expects production to start with around 200,000 units a year at the global roll-out in 2012.