Nissan is celebrating the sale of its 100,000th EV in the UK with the delivery of a Rebel Red Micra from its Chorley dealership to a local couple.
The Japanese manufacturer has been a firm fixture on the UK’s EV landscape since the launch of its pioneering Leaf in 2011. Since then, the second and the latest third-generation Leaf, the Ariya SUV, and the new Micra have all become popular choices among UK buyers.
This sixth-gen Micra is based on the award-winning Renault 5 and is even built in the same Renault factory in Douai as its French sibling. For the first time since the model debuted on UK shores in 1982, it is now exclusively electric. Moreover, Nissan has a strong manufacturing presence in the UK – its Sunderland factory began building the second-generation (K11) Micra in 1992, which opened its doors six years prior.
The site was responsible for manufacturing the Mk1 Leaf, and currently builds the third-gen car, which launched last year. The Qashqai and the Juke are also built at the plant. What’s more, Nissan’s UK efforts are not restricted to the Sunderland factory. It has a design centre in Paddington, London, and an R&D engineering centre in Cranfield.
Following its achievement of selling 100,000 electric-only models in the UK, James Taylor, Nissan UK’s managing director, commented: “We are incredibly proud to have led the way in automotive electrification for 15 years and it’s wonderful to have notched up 100,000 EV sales in the UK. Nissan has a strong electric line-up, with every model delivering affordability, innovation and everyday practicality.”
Each of Nissan’s EVs qualifies for the UK Government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG). This means the Micra starts from £21,495 with the £1,500 ECG applied for the entry-level Engage model fitted with the 40kWh battery. The ‘Extended Range’ model with the 52kWh pack benefits from the full £3,750 ECG, meaning prices start from £23,245.
Irrespective of whether it’s specced with the 52kWh or 75kWh battery, the Leaf comes with the £3,750 ECG. As such, pricing begins at £28,849 for the base-spec Engage. The top-spec 75kWh Evolve is the most expensive Leaf on sale, starting at £36,249.
All versions of the Ariya bar two benefit from the £1,500 ECG, meaning Nissan’s answer to the likes of the Skoda Enyaq, Kia EV6, and the Tesla Model Y can be purchased brand new for £33,500. However, the all-wheel-drive (AWD) e-4ORCE and motorsport-inspired Ariya Nismo do not qualify.
Since production began, a total of 2,368,704 Micras have been built at the Sunderland factory.
