Nissan Leaf electric car trials to start within weeks
Oct 4 2010 by Amy Hunt, The Journal
THE first Nissan Leafs will be on North East roads within weeks as part of a trial of electric vehicles.
The battery-powered family cars will join electric black cabs, Range Rovers and a minibus in a pilot project asking motorists to try them out for between six and 12 months.
Switch EV is a three-year £10m project testing out 35 different electric vehicles in real situations to see how they perform and how drivers react to them.
It is due to get moving in just a few weeks’ time, with experts from Newcastle University monitoring data from the cars.
As partners in the scheme, Nissan is providing 15 of its Leaf models, which will be built at the firm’s Sunderland plant from 2013 and will be available to buy next year.
Smith Electric Vehicles in Washington is contributing five black cab-style taxis, which will be tested out over one year, along with an electric minibus.
Liberty Electric Cars are providing electric Range Rovers, while Avid Vehicles will pitch in 11 small city electric cars.
John Austin, senior programme manager for Future Transport Systems, which is delivering the project, said: “It’s key that we understand how people react to electric vehicles and their take-up. We will be capturing data – how people react to the cars, how they feel before and after driving the cars.
