The Nissan Leaf continues to win accolades, and its latest is perhaps the most prestigious yet. This week the Leaf was named the 2011 European Car of the Year, a coveted award that 41 contenders were vying for. The win marks Nissan’s first European Car of the Year award since the UK-built Micra won the title back in 1993.
“The jury acknowledged today that the Nissan Leaf is a breakthrough for electric cars. Nissan Leaf is the first EV that can match conventional cars in many respects,” said Håkan Matson, President of the Jury, Car of the Year
Nissan chief executive officer Carlos Ghosn accepted the honor and said, “This award recognizes the pioneering zero-emission Nissan Leaf as competitive to conventional cars in terms of safety, performance, spaciousness and handling. It also reflects Nissan’s standing as an innovative and exciting brand with a clear vision of the future of transportation, which we call sustainable mobility.”
The Leaf’s all-electric powertrain, zero-emissions, and relative practicality, impressed the jury of 57 European automotive journalists. But the Leaf was also faced with incredible competition, including the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, Citroën C3/DS3, Dacia Duster, Ford C-Max, Opel/Vauxhall Meriva and Volvo S60/V60.
