Kateryna Kadabashy Dubai

Nissan plans to deploy its all-electric LEAF car as part of the Expo 2020 Dubai fleet, the company has revealed.

Thierry Sabbagh, managing director of Nissan Middle East, told Arab News: “Given the rise in global warming and increased pressure on reducing emissions, electric vehicles will be a future solution and one that will heavily impact mobility in the future.”

The motor manufacturing giant said Expo would be the first major organization in the Middle East to use LEAF, which is equipped with the latest intelligent driving technologies. The initiative will support the exhibition’s aspiration to “deliver one of the most sustainable World Expos ever.”

Nissan hopes to use the insights and feedback from LEAF’s participation at the event to accelerate the spread of its electric vehicle in the region.

The car will be deployed among 1,000 vehicles the company is providing for the exhibition, although the exact number of LEAFs has not been disclosed.

The vehicles will range from sedans to SUVs, pick-up trucks and buses, which will be used in the run-up to, and during, Expo 2020.

Sabbagh added that Nissan would be providing “support for the fleet, such as maintenance, roadside assistance, insurance and Expo 2020 fleet branding.”

LEAF charging times vary between 40 minutes to 13 hours, depending on the charger being used, surrounding air temperature, previous state of battery and other factors.

The car remains the best-selling electric vehicle in the world, despite the release of Tesla’s Model 3, and is the only one whose total sale numbers (since 2010) surpassed 560,000, Sabbagh said.

Nissan has yet to reveal the date of the market release of LEAF in the UAE and its price.