Blog of RENAULT NISSAN Alliance

Which is Europe’s most eco-conscious city? Nissan aims to find out with the launch of a far-reaching campaign designed to ‘turn on’ one million people to the benefits of electric vehicles (EVs) in just 100 days.

The Big Turn On will use digital and social media to switch Europe on to a zero-emission future. Advocates in the UK, the Netherlands, France and Germany will be encouraged to pledge their support for EVs by clicking the ‘turn on’ button on the campaign’s website – www.thebigturnon.com.

And the city that’s home to the biggest number of backers will win 30 Quick Chargers from Nissan, helping to create a local electric driving infrastructure. A Quick Charger allows drivers of EVs like Nissan LEAF to recharge their batteries from empty to 80 per cent capacity in just 30 minutes. A standard domestic charger takes up to eight hours to recharge Nissan LEAF’s advanced lithium-ion battery pack.

By the end of 2012, Nissan will have given away 400 Quick Chargers to local authorities and partners across Europe, with the ultimate aim of developing a network of ‘Electric Highways’ linking city to city.

At the same time, The Big Turn On will also bust many of the myths that surround electric vehicles. It will prove, for example, that the multi-award winning Nissan LEAF is very economical to run. It will also show that with a 5* Euro NCAP rating it is very safe and that its range of 175 kms (NEDC) is far greater than 90 per cent of European motorists drive in a typical day.

All this and zero emissions, too. We can all breathe more easily thanks to Nissan.