Nissan Adds 24-Hour Test Drives, Dealership Charging In U.K.

While the Nissan Leaf is one of Norway’s best-selling vehicles, other European countries as less enthused with the Leaf. This includes the U.K., where Nissan is launching a new program designed to get on-the-fence EV buyers into dealerships, and a Leaf, so they can experience the little electric car for themselves.

Nissan Leaf sales in the U.K. reached just over 2,100 units in June of 2013, though the U.K has saw a record number of EV registrations in November. Still, sales are far from where Nissan wants them, and to give potential buyers more incentive to check out the Leaf, a new program offers 24 hour test drives and roadside assistance, use of an extra, conventional car for longer trips, free rapid charging, and a Battery State of Health Guarantee.

These programs are designed to alleviate range anxiety in the U.K, with many Nissan dealers installing rapid charging stations, as well as long term worries regarding battery life. Like a similar program in the U.S., Nissan will replace the battery, for free, if life goes below 9 of the 12 bars, or 75% before 5 years or 60,000 miles.

While these programs are all well and good, Norway has shown that tax incentives go a lot farther towards promoting EV ownership than automaker gimmicks. Ultimately, it has to make dollars and cents for consumers to want to buy an electric car, and all the free tows in the world can’t make up for that.

 Source: Autoblog Green