Can a car that has not yet been delivered to the public be awarded Car of the Year? Apparently, it can—in Europe. The Nissan Leaf, which has started production and will start deliveries in December in Japan and the USA, has been awarded the 2011 European Car of the Year (COTY). European COTY is decided by a jury of 57 automotive journalists from 23 European countries.
It’s the first time an electric vehicle has been awarded the European COTY. Maybe this increases the chances of the Reva electric car for Philippine COTY. (Or not.) Here’s more from Nissan and European COTY:
“The jury acknowledged today that the Nissan LEAF is a breakthrough for electric cars. Nissan LEAF is the first EV that can match conventional cars in many respects,” said Håkan Matson, President of the Jury, Car of the Year.
The world’s first mass-marketed, affordable, zero-emission vehicle for the global market beat 40 contenders to win motoring’s most important accolade. This is the first time in the 47-year history of the annual competition that the award has gone to an electric vehicle. Nissan LEAF’s rivals included vehicles from brands such as Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Dacia, Ford, Opel/Vauxhall and Volvo.
Nissan LEAF is powered by a compact electric motor in the front of the car, which drives the front wheels. The AC motor develops a power output of 108bhp and 280Nm of torque, enough for a maximum speed of 144 km/h. The electric motor is powered by a Nissan-developed laminated lithium-ion battery with an output of more than 90kW. The car has a range of more than 100 miles (New European Driving Cycle) between charges making it a practical proposition for many urban drivers.
The vehicle is fully equipped with features such as regenerative braking, air conditioning, satellite navigation, parking camera and advanced on-board IT and telematics systems. Innovative connectivity will allow an owner to set charging functions to monitor the car’s current state of charge and the remaining battery capacity, as well as to heat or cool the interior of the car remotely via mobile phone or computer. The Nissan LEAF will be available in five colours in Europe – blue metallic and pearl, white pearl, silver metallic, black solid and red pearl. The single option is a solar panel mounted in the rear spoiler that supports charging of the car’s 12V battery used for powering accessories.
Deliveries in Japan and the United States begin this December. The first UK customers will get their LEAFs in March. The zero-emission car is currently being built in Japan, but will also be produced –along with its batteries – in Sunderland, England from early 2013.
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