Maria Jansen believes her LEAF is not only the right choice for the environment but is comfortable, cost-effective and has everything she needs from a car. “It’s unbeatable!” she says. “Driving it is an amazing, unique experience.”
Norway has become the first country in the world where fully electric vehicle (EV) sales outstrip those of cars powered by petrol, diesel or hybrid technology. The country is leading the way, having introduced a series of incentives in the 1990s for drivers who make the switch. These range from tax breaks to parking fee discounts, and from being able to use certain lanes to paying lower tolls.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide sales of EVs spiked by 43% last year, with more than 3 million vehicles finding new owners. One of those EVs was a magnetic red Nissan LEAF with a 62 kWh battery, which is now parked in a double garage in Nordre Frogn, Norway.
LEAF parked in Maria’s garage
This LEAF is Maria’s second. She bought her first in 2017 and enjoyed it so much, she decided to upgrade. Maria, who lives with her husband and loves to spend time with her grandchildren in Sweden, says she’s driven many happy, green miles. And she has zipped across the border into Sweden many, many times. For Maria, there’s no anxiety about running out of power, even on longer trips. “We can easily visit our family in Sweden with no need to recharge the battery on the road,” she explains. “This is a car I can rely on.”
Maria says she also feels safe using the LEAF’s ProPILOT advanced driver assistance system. “I know it will automatically break if I’m distracted,” she explains. “The Around View Monitor is also very helpful for parking and reversing.”
Maria driving her LEAF
The story of Nissan’s LEAF, the world’s first mass-market EV launched a decade ago, is woven into Norway. In 2018, for example, it was the country’s most-sold passenger car. A 2020 survey of 14,000 EV drivers in Norway – thousands of them Nissan LEAF owners – showed that nearly 95% are satisfied with their cars and 66% are encouraging their friends to follow their lead. Maria is definitely one of those drivers.
“For those who have not yet switched, try this car. You won’t regret it,” she says. “As soon as you drive it, you’ll see how wonderful it is to drive a Nissan LEAF.”