Nissan has reported another record year for sales of its iconic electric LEAF, with new registrations rising 29 per cent last year to 5,236.
The company said the performance meant it outsold other 100 per cent electric vehicles by more than two-to-one and retained its position as the best-selling pure electric vehicle (EV) in the UK for fourth year running.
"This record year for Nissan highlights once again the importance of our investment in the UK and commitment to electric vehicles," said James Wright, Nissan Motor GB Managing Director. "We're proud to be leading the industry when it comes to 100 per cent electric vehicles and with our new longer range LEAF and e-NV200 there are options available to everyone."
The company also announced that its partnership with green energy provide Ecotricity meant that EV charging points were now available on more than 95 per cent of the UK motorway network.
The performance further underlines Nissan's position as the dominant player in the EV market, although there are signs it is facing increasing competition from rival electric vehicle manufacturers. New figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) earlier this month showed the number of cars eligible for the government's Plug-in Car Grant scheme, which includes plug-in hybrids as well as pure EVs, rose from 14,532 in to 28,188 last year, an increase of 94 per cent.
In related industry news, the Advanced Propulsion Centre last week announced £74m in joint government and industry funding for five new low carbon projects.
The awards will see The London Taxi Company, Morgan Motor Company, AMG Batteries Ltd, Jaguar Land Rover and Parker Hannifin share £31m of government investment as part of a £74m match funding programme to deliver innovation in lightweight advanced diesel engines, high energy density batteries, hybrid light commercial vehicles, fuel efficient hybrid engines, and energy efficient off highway vehicles.
Combined the new projects are expected to create or safeguard 851 jobs and cut carbon emissions by 4.3 million tonnes.
"The announcement of the fourth round competition winners demonstrates the government's on-going commitment to supporting the UK's low carbon Advanced Propulsion System innovation ecosystem," said APC director for technology and projects, Jon Beasley. "Co-investment in technological developments to be delivered by Industry led consortia, range from high risk incremental growth programmes to innovative cutting edge R&D, showing the UK is committed to establishing itself as a Global centre for the promotion and development of low carbon propulsion systems."
And in other news, hydrogen fuel cell technology specialist Ceres Power Holdings PLC today announced it has signed a new Joint Development Agreement with Honda R & D Co Ltd to jointly develop Solid Oxide Fuel Cell stacks using Ceres Power's unique metal supported Steel Cell technology for a range of potential power equipment applications.
"This latest agreement with Honda represents a huge endorsement of our Steel Cell technology, in the world's most advanced fuel cell market," said Phil Caldwell, chief executive at Ceres Power. "We are demonstrating that we can successfully deliver on our strategy of embedding our Steel Cell technology into a variety of different power products and markets with the world's leading companies."
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