Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. says its Leaf electric vehicle will begin under €30,000 ($37,176) after incentives in most European countries, more expensive than the U.S.’ $32,780 sans spiffs starting price given current exchange rates.
In the U.K., the EV begins at £23,350 ($33,806) after government incentives, £28,350 ($41,031) before them.
U.K. buyers can dodge 25% of an EV’s purchase price by not having to pay vehicle excise duty or company-car taxes during a 5-year period.
The Leaf begins at €32,839 ($40,692) in the Netherlands before incentives.
Dutch Leaf buyers are eligible for between €6,000-€19,000 ($7,435-$23,544) in tax savings over five years, Nissan says.
The latter discount, a discontinuance of a company-car tax, brings a Netherlands-bought Leaf down near expected California pricing.
U.S. EVs are eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit, with the state of California adding a $5,000 discount.
In Ireland and Portugal, the Leaf starts at €29,995 ($37,157) and €29,955 ($37,107), respectively, after €5,000 ($6,194) in government spiffs.
“Nissan has decided to launch in these countries first due to significant government incentives for electric cars and the ongoing development of charging infrastructure for their successful adoption,” the auto maker says in a statement. “By the end of next year, Nissan Leaf will be available in every major Western European country.”
Reservations in four countries begin in July, with the car going on sale in December in Portugal and the Netherlands and in February in the U.K. and Ireland.
Nissan says all prices are inclusive of the Leaf’s lithium-ion battery, which the auto maker initially intended to lease separately.
Nissan does not explain the Leaf’s higher pricing for Europe vs. the U.S. However, last month Tom Lane, Nissan’s chief product planner, told Ward’s the Leaf’s relatively high Japan price could be attributed to fees associated with new-vehicle sales in the country.
The Leaf’s expected starting price in Japan is ¥3.76 million ($40,660).
