Nissan's Leaf begins to attract attention
By Malcolm Foster |
May 14, 2010, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
NISSAN'S chief executive says the auto maker has received more than 13,000 orders in the US and Japan for its new electric car, the Leaf, exceeding production capacity.
Carlos Ghosn said yesterday the company is seeking to boost production line capacity to meet the demand. Currently it can produce fewer than 12,000 of the cars by next March.
The first models of the zero-emissions Leaf will be delivered to customers in December.
Ghosn, who also heads France's Renault, said that while 2010 will likely be a volatile year, he's confident about Nissan's future as demand grows in emerging markets like China, where sales have risen 60 percent so far this year, and as consumers warm to electric cars. He also expects the yen to weaken, which would boost profit from abroad.
"For Nissan, the potential for profit in the midterm is big," Ghosn said at its corporate headquarters in Yokohama a day after the company reported upbeat earnings and forecasts.
"From everything we're seeing ... interest in zero-emission cars is very high, and we don't think it's going to require too much efforts in marketing," he said.
With the Leaf, Nissan aims to take the lead in the nascent electric vehicle market. So far, the company has received 8,500 orders from customers in the US and 4,700 in Japan. Nissan hopes to build and sell 50,000 of the cars during the first model year.
Carlos Ghosn said yesterday the company is seeking to boost production line capacity to meet the demand. Currently it can produce fewer than 12,000 of the cars by next March.
The first models of the zero-emissions Leaf will be delivered to customers in December.
Ghosn, who also heads France's Renault, said that while 2010 will likely be a volatile year, he's confident about Nissan's future as demand grows in emerging markets like China, where sales have risen 60 percent so far this year, and as consumers warm to electric cars. He also expects the yen to weaken, which would boost profit from abroad.
"For Nissan, the potential for profit in the midterm is big," Ghosn said at its corporate headquarters in Yokohama a day after the company reported upbeat earnings and forecasts.
"From everything we're seeing ... interest in zero-emission cars is very high, and we don't think it's going to require too much efforts in marketing," he said.
With the Leaf, Nissan aims to take the lead in the nascent electric vehicle market. So far, the company has received 8,500 orders from customers in the US and 4,700 in Japan. Nissan hopes to build and sell 50,000 of the cars during the first model year.
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