Nissan has announced 100,000 all-electric Leafs sold globally as of this month, touting a 45 percent market share among available electric vehicles around the world.
Nissan, which started selling the Leaf in December 2010, also mentioned that it sold 22,610 Leafs last year in the U.S. alone. This represented a significant increase over the 9,819 Leaf sales the company reported for 2012.
While the Leaf is available in 35 countries, most have been sold in the U.S. In fact, 42,122 units have been sold in the country as of the end of December 2013.
Earlier this month, Nissan announced a price increase of $180 for 2014 Leaf vehicles. The 2014 Leaf S will start at $29,830, the Leaf SV will start at $32,850, and the top of the line Leaf SL will start at $35,870. These prices are before the $7,500 federal tax rebate.
The automaker also said all 2014 versions of the Leaf will get a rear-view monitor, which was previously only available with the tech package. In addition, the range increased six miles from 78 to 84, and the CAFE rating had a boost as well.
The changes made were partly due to Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn’s goal to significantly increase the sales of the Leaf.
Nissan is also looking to offer greater incentives for customers to buy a Leaf. For instance, the automaker announced in September 2013 that it would offer free and unlimited access to public chargers by NRG Energy Inc.’s eVgo for one year. The offer is open to those who buy or lease a new Leaf in Dallas, Forth Worth and Houston. It began October 1, 2013.
