Nissan's 'The Big Turn On' campaign in full swing
A 100-day campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of electric vehicles is underway at Nissan.
The Japanese manufacturer has launched The Big Turn On campaign to boost the profile of its LEAF design and to encourage one million drivers to swap petrol for electricity.
At the end of the 100-day campaign, one city will be awarded an infrastructure improvement, which will include the installation of 30 Nissan electric vehicle Quick Chargers.
The campaign sees eco-conscious drivers able to test drive the LEAF for a 24-hour period and those taking part are encouraged to post videos of their experiences with the motor.
Cities all across Europe are tasking part in the event, which offers the winning city the chance to improve the speed of charging electric cars.
According to Nissan, the special chargers are capable of recharging an empty battery to 80 per cent capacity within just 30 minutes.
This is some claim given that the standard charger type would take roughly eight hours to achieve the same results.
Paul Willcox, senior vice-president for sales and marketing at Nissan Europe, said: "Nissan was the first manufacturer to mass produce an all-electric car - the Nissan LEAF.
"We recognise the importance of a zero-emissions future and to date, along with our Alliance partner, Renault, have invested over �4 billion (£3.27 billion) into electric mobility."
By the end of the year, Nissan aims to have donated more than 400 quick chargers to local authorities around the country.
At present, more than 534,000 people have got involved with the campaign, leaving Nissan just past the halfway stage with regard to its ultimate target.
Nissan hopes the campaign will bust some of the myths surrounding the ownership of electric vehicles and claimed that the LEA- European and World Car of the Year in 2011 - boasts a 95 per cent customer satisfaction and a five-star Euro NCAP rating.
Posted by Sebastian Turkenburg