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Nissan Abandons Leaf EV Sales Target
Nissan Motor Co. tells reporters it won't hit its target of selling 20,000 Leaf electric sedans in the U.S. this year.
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Nissan Motor Co. tells reporters it won't hit its target of selling 20,000 Leaf electric sedans in the U.S. this year.
Demand for the EVslumped 28% to only 5,200 units in the first nine months of 2012. The company's new goal is to sell 20,000 Leafs in the fiscal year that began in April.
Andy Palmer, the Nissan executive vice president in charge of global product planning, concedes the company has been "pretty lousy" at communicating with Leaf customers. He says the company has done a poor job of explaining to new owners that their cars' performance would vary depending on climate and driving conditions.
A group of Leaf owners in Arizona have griped that the car's range is diminished in hot weather. Last month Nissan announced the creation of a global advisory board to improve EV communications.
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