Today the Nissan LEAF is the most popular electric vehicle in the world. There have been over 35,000 sold in the US and 70,000 worldwide. As a matter of fact, a few of those 70,000 came right from our Toledo, OH dealership. These are certainly exciting figures, but it all had to start somewhere and the LEAF's winning streak began with one man.
A California resident, Olivier Chalouhi became the very first LEAF driver in the world back in December of 2010 when he sparked what turned out to be an international trend. Perhaps it wasn't all Chalouhi's doing. Zero-emissions do sort of sell themselves, especially when presented in such a stylish form. However, Olivier is a clear trend-setter on a local level. After offering test drives, he has managed to convert a few of his friends into LEAF owners.
It turns out that after three years and over 30,000 miles, it isn't just the environmental benefits that keep he and his family happy. They enjoy the fact that all five can fit comfortably inside and the vehicle's smooth and quiet ride make it a great family fit. Even for longer trips, it's their preferred vehicle. The family simply hits a quick charger when necessary and then picks back up on the road after 10 minutes or so.
In the end, you really can't take Oliver's word for it, though. Even his friends needed to hop behind the wheel before they made the final decision to drive a LEAF. So why not follow suit? Stop by Yark Nissan to check the groundbreaking EV out for yourself.