Europe's biggest selling All Electric commercial Vehicle is the Nissan e-NV200.

• The all-electric Nissan e-NV200 is the best-selling electric van in 2016, across 17 countries in Europe
• Total Nissan e-NV200 sales increased by 7 percent in 2016
• UK, Norway and France are the top three markets for e-NV200 sales
• Nissan offers a five year / 60,000 mile warranty on all new Nissan e-NV200s

The Nissan e-NV200 topped the charts to become Europe’s best-selling electric van in 2016.* The award-winning all-electric van ranked number one in 17 countries across Europe, ahead of its competitors in the category.

The UK is the top market in Europe for Nissan e-NV200, followed closely by Norway and France. Sales were up 20% on the previous year and alongside the LEAF, Nissan’s electric vehicle models command almost 50% of the entire EV market in the UK. 

In the UK, sales of e-NV200 have more than doubled since launching in 2014 with the model claiming just over 82% market share in 2016.

With overall Nissan e-NV200 sales up 7 percent in 2016 compared to the previous year with 4,319 units registered throughout Europe, it is clear the popularity of this 100 percent electric van is on the rise.

Gareth Dunsmore, Director of Electric Vehicles at Nissan Europe, said: “As more and more businesses focus on reducing their carbon footprint, the need to find zero emission transport solutions is becoming more important than ever. Through Nissan Intelligent Mobility, we are working towards a sustainable future and our e-NV200 complements our vision perfectly whilst catering to a wide range of customer needs.

“Aside from its obvious environmental advantages, e-NV200 owners also benefit from its low-running costs, starting from as little as two pence per mile, a smooth and near-silent ride and 40 percent lower servicing costs when compared with an equivalent diesel vehicle.”

Nissan e-NV200 customers can also benefit from Nissan’s recently introduced five year / 60,000 mile warranty** on new e-NV200s. The five year warranty covers mechanical and electrical vehicle components, battery capacity, corrosion (up to 12 years) and roadside assistance.

The Nissan e-NV200 is the perfect transport solution for families and businesses alike, combining the best of Nissan’s NV200 van with zero-emission technology from the world’s best–selling electric car, the Nissan LEAF. Available in both commercial van and fully trimmed Combi and Evalia passenger variants, the e-NV200 line-up offers a variety of options to suit every requirement; including a panel van, five-seat and seven-seat option and a driving range of up to 106 miles on a single charge.***

*Based on consolidated registration figures from official sources in Europe on December 31^st, 2016 (all Europe except Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, and Moldova).

**The Basic Vehicles Warranty according to 3.1 of the Warranty Booklet and Maintenance Record is extended to five-Year (from the warranty start date)/ 60,000 mile (whichever comes first) warranty for e-NV200. Body parts and paint excluded during year four and year five. Terms and exclusions apply accordingly, for further information please see Extended Warranty Terms and Conditions. Apart from the afore-mentioned, all warranty conditions included in the Warranty Booklet and Maintenance Record remain unchanged. Issuer of this Extended Warranty is Nissan International Insurance Ltd.

***A range of up to 106 miles per full charge (based on new European Driving Cycle). Actual consumption and range may vary due to driving style road condition, air-conditioning and other factors outside our control.

Renault has handed over the keys to its 100,000th electric car, a ZOE, in the Norwegian capital of Oslo.

• Renault has handed over the keys to its 100,000th electric car, a ZOE, in the Norwegian capital of Oslo.
• A pioneer of all-electric vehicles, Renault is the European leader with 27% market share for electric cars

Five years since the launch of its first electric vehicle, Renault has handed over the keys to its 100,000th electric car customer.

The Renault ZOE – the brand’s all-electric supermini – was sold to 41 year old Norwegian, Mr. Åsmund Gillebo. To truly complement his purchase of a ZOE, he has been presented with five years of Fortim recharging and 100,000 minutes of recharging time from Grønn kontakt, two local energy suppliers.

Renault: the European leader for electric cars

In the first half of 2016, Renault sold more than 15,000 electric vehicles (excluding the Twizy), an increase of 32% on the previous year. This success confirms Renault’s status as the European market leader, especially for LCV. 

Indeed, on European roads, one in every four electric vehicles is a Renault. In France, half of all electric cars are Renaults. Renault’s main markets for electric cars are France, Norway, the UK and Germany. 

In the UK, Renault Z.E. sales grew to 1,199 in the first half of 2016 – an increase of 26.1 per cent. Of this, 1,069 of the vehicles were the all-electric ZOE – a 39.4 per cent increase on the first six months of 2015. Since the launch of its Z.E. vehicles in the UK in 2011, Renault has sold 5,977 electric vehicles to date comprising of Fluence, Kangoo Van Z.E, Twizy and ZOE.

Eric Feunteun, Director of Renault’s Electric Vehicle Division, said: “Every year there are more customers for electric cars and Renault is making a major contribution to this with its constant innovation and dedication to developing infrastructure. Our customer satisfaction, which stands at 98% for the ZOE, encourages us to keep pushing onwards”.

Renault boasts the most comprehensive range of 100% electric cars on the market, enabling it to meet a variety of needs. The range is made up of the compact ZOE city car, the Kangoo Van ZE, the compact urban two-seater Twizy (and its utility version, the Twizy Cargo), and the stately saloon the RSM SM3 ZE (the best-selling electric vehicle in Korea).

The ZOE, the best-selling electric vehicle in Europe, dominates the market for electric private cars with over 23% market share. The Kangoo Van ZE, the leading electric LCV in Europe for the third year running, sets the benchmark for professionals and has won a number of tenders, including the French Post Office, and the French electricity provider ERDF in Norway. 

Lastly, with 17,000 models sold, the Twizy is the trailblazer for new ways to get around all over the world, and is extremely popular in car-sharing initiatives in both Europe and North America.

Renault, a key player in electric innovation

With cutting edge electrical technology, proven by its performance in Formula E, Renault is naturally winning over an increasing number of users. Since it began its electric adventure Renault has adopted a global strategy for electric mobility, and the development of infrastructure in particular. 

Renault is involved in a number of projects to install public recharge points, working with public bodies and other players in electric mobility like energy technicians. There are currently over 100,000 public recharge points around the world, 80,000 of which are in Europe, and they are constantly growing in number. 

As an example, Renault supports European Commission projects for the TEN-T fund (Trans European Transport Network), which has installed over 2,300 quick charge terminals along highways and major roads in over 15 countries.

In the UK, the ZOE has won numerous awards including What Car?’s ‘Best Electric Car Under £20,000’ for three consecutive years and was most recently voted second in the 2016 Auto Express Driver Power vehicle ownership survey out of 183 cars – Renault’s best ever ranking in the survey for one of its vehicles.

The Nissan LEAF 30 kWh took on Europe’s top six rural and coastal drives, From Spain to Scotland.

• The Nissan LEAF 30 kWh took on Europe’s top six rural and coastal drives
• Nissan LEAF allows drivers to go off-grid and explore Europe, free from range anxiety, with 155 miles (250km) of range on a single charge*

The 100 percent electric Nissan LEAF has taken to the roads of Europe for an all-electric Grand Tour, travelling across Europe’s most breath-taking rural and coastal driving routes.

The epic journey saw the Nissan LEAF take on six of the most beautiful drives in Italy, Spain, Germany, Norway, Scotland and France; including Italy’s iconic Mount Etna and historic cities, such as Granada, Spain, and Marseille, France.

The new LEAF 30 kWh journeyed over 400 miles (650km) on an adventure to visit Europe’s most spectacular destinations, showcasing its low running costs of just £2.50 (€3) per 62 miles (100 km).

Across Europe, 54 percent of drivers would prefer to travel by car rather than by any other form of transport, but with many concerned about the cost of fuel, Nissan has proven itself to be the ultimate travel companion.

With the LEAF’s 30 kWh battery now offering 155 miles (250 km) in driving range* and as many as 2,800 quick chargers installed across Europe, driving a zero-emission car is more practical and enjoyable than ever before, giving EV drivers total peace of mind to enjoy longer cross country drives.

Gareth Dunsmore, Director of Electric Vehicles at Nissan Europe, said: “The Nissan LEAF is much more than just a city car and is an ideal zero-emission solution. With five seats and 370 litres standard luggage capacity, the Nissan LEAF 30 kWh is perfect for those long family getaways this summer. LEAF’s low running costs and quiet drivetrain make family holidays cheaper and more peaceful than ever before.

“What’s more, the Grand Tour demonstrates Nissan’s commitment to our vision for intelligent mobility, showing how innovative technologies are helping to integrate EVs into modern family life.”

Nissan pioneered the EV movement with the introduction of the world’s first mass-market EV, the Nissan LEAF, in 2010. Since then it has gone on to sell over 228,000LEAFs globally, with more than 59,000 of these gracing the roads of Europe, making it the world’s best ever selling electric vehicle.

The Norwegian Postal service takes delivery of 240 Kangoo Maxi Z.E.s, one of the worlds biggest EV fleet orders.

• Renault will deliver 240 Kangoo Maxi Z.E.s to Posten, the Norwegian postal service
• One of the world’s biggest electric vehicle purchases to date
• Fleet will contribute to a smaller carbon footprint for Posten
• Kangoo Maxi Z.E. has range of 106 miles (NEDC), making it ideal for daily deliveries

Posten, the Norwegian postal service, has ordered 240 Renault Kangoo Maxi Z.E.s., marking one of the world’s biggest electric vehicle purchases so far.

The Kangoo Maxi Z.E. is well-suited to the everyday tasks of many business types, including administrative and courier companies, thanks to its official range of 106 miles (NEDC), which Renault estimates to be between 53 and 84 miles in the real world, depending on ambient temperature and driving conditions. Posten’s red Kangoo Maxi Z.E.s will mostly be used in areas of high population density.

Posten, which already has a fleet of 900 electric vehicles (cars, bikes, quadricycles, trailers), is taking a further step forward in environmental responsibility with the purchase of Kangoo Maxi Z.E. The service is targeting a 40 per cent reduction in its CO₂ emissions by 2020, a substantial measure considering Posten alone accounts for no less than one per cent of CO₂ emissions in Norway as a whole.

Over the last few years, electric vehicle sales in Norway have been stimulated by a committed government incentive policy. At the end of 2015, electric vehicle sales account for 20 per cent of all new vehicle sales in the country. It is expected that there will be 200,000 electric vehicles across the country by 2020, accounting for 10 per cent of all cars on Norwegian roads.

In Norway, electric cars are exempt from VAT and road tax. They pay no parking fees, road tolls or ferry charges, and they are entitled to use bus lanes.

The Renault electric vehicle line-up in the UK consists of Twizy, ZOE and Kangoo Van Z.E. all providing zero emissions in use motoring, a silent and calming driving experience and strong electric power delivery at all speeds.

The Renault Twizy urban runaround is unlike any other vehicle on sale today. The innovative two-seater is available in three trim levels; Expression, Dynamique and Cargo – a one-seater version, with a 180-litre lockable boot, perfect for small urban delivery companies.

Awarded the titles of What Car? 2015 ‘Best Electric Car for less than £20,000’ and ‘Best Electric Vehicle’ in the Auto Express Driver Power 2015 survey, the Renault ZOE is a 5-door hatchback that has been designed from the ground-up to offer all the advantages of a practical supermini, including a 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating, with the environmental and running cost savings of a pure electric vehicle. 

Awarded the accolade of International Van of the Year 2012, the Kangoo Van Z.E. range consists of four versions – the two-seater Kangoo Van Z.E. and longer-wheelbase Kangoo Van Maxi Z.E., and the five-seater Kangoo Van Maxi Crew Z.E. and Kangoo Van Maxi Crew CAB Z.E. with extra side windows.

As at end of October, Renault electric vehicle sales in theUK rose by 91.3 per cent year-to-date, as at end of October, to 1,475 vehicles – significantly outpacing the overall UK electric vehicle market which rose by 53.8 per cent. Total Renault electric vehicle sales in Europe year-to-date stood at 16,545 vehicles – 13,539 of which were ZOEs, with sales of the popular small hatchback up 82.7 per cent on January-October 2014.

Renault is the pioneer of affordable all-electric vehicles, and the only carmaker to offer a full range. Renault sees the electric vehicle as an eminently viable countermeasure against global warming. 

The Renault-Nissan Alliance is an official partner of the COP21 United Nations climate-change summit, providing a fleet of 200 Alliance electric vehicles, including 100 Renault ZOEs, to shuttle delegates between Paris and Le Bourget from 30 November to 11 December 2015.

Detroit Electric extends its global distributor network to four new countries.

• Detroit Electric extends its global distributor network to four new countries
• Fastest pure electric two-seat sports car will soon be retailed in Azerbaijan, Iceland, Norway and South Africa
• Signing of new distributor contracts coincides with visit of SP:01 sports car to inaugural European Games events in Baku

Detroit Electric is continuing to establish its global dealer network with the announcement this week of four new distributors for the EMEA region, as the company prepares for the launch of the exciting SP:01 electric sportscar.

The new distributor relationships will pave the way for the sale of Detroit Electric vehicles in Azerbaijan, Iceland, Norway and South Africa. The news follows the recent signing of dealers for China and South Korea.

The latest of these new distributor contracts was announced during the staging of the inaugural European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan. During the games, the Detroit Electric SP:01 pure electric sports car was seen around the city at a number of high-profile events. The SP:01 was showcased at the Elektra Events Hall and at the iconic Heydar Aliyev Centre, where a number of Azerbaijan government ministers and VIPs were attending the launch of a new fast-charging network in Azerbaijan.

The new Detroit Electric distributor for Azerbaijan is GreenCar LLC, an established electric vehicle sales company. Since it was founded GreenCar LLC has focused on bringing to market innovative technologies that support the reduction of vehicle emissions across Azerbaijan.

The new distributor for both Iceland and Norway is Carpoint, a company that has specialised in retailing electric vehicles since 2008. With offices in Trondheim and Oslo, Carpoint is planning to expand to all the major cities in Norway and is dedicated to providing efficient, reliable and environmentally-friendly vehicles to its customers.

Trond Michael Andersen, Chairman of Carpoint, said: “Partnering with Detroit Electric is a key part of an exciting new chapter for Carpoint, and it means that electric vehicles can reach an even wider audience. It’s important that electric cars are increasingly accessible to the masses looking for day-to-day transport, and it’s great for the sector that the SP:01 now brings added diversity – an aspirational model able to rival iconic sportscars from established brands.”

GridCars, the new South African distributor, was co-founded in 2009. In addition to selling electric cars, the company has designed a commuter car scheme using exclusively electric vehicles. Responding to a gap in the market, GridCars is creating an open charge-point operating system that can be used across South Africa. The company has also created software systems that manage vehicle telemetry data and communicate with relevant electric vehicles. GridCars has diversified into developing AC charge points, which are already used by Nissan and BMW.

Winstone Jordaan, MD of GridCars commented: “The partnership with Detroit Electric is an important milestone for GridCars, allowing us to leverage the top end of the EV market as well as the bottom end through our Commuter Car scheme. With our experience in electric vehicles we are well positioned to support the vehicles technically and provide high standards of aftercare to Detroit Electric customers.”

Albert Lam, Chairman and Group CEO of Detroit Electric, added: “Developing the EMEA distributor network is a vital part of our rollout plan, and GreenCar, Carpoint and GridCars all have exceptional track records in the electric vehicle markets in their respective countries. The enthusiasm and support we have received from these three new distributors says much about our vehicles, our brand and the progress we are making.”

From cape to cape in a VW Touareg V6, it all starts on Sunday.

• Rainer Zietlow drives Touareg V6 TDI in pursuit of a record time from North Cape, Norway to Cape Agulhas, South Africa

It all begins on Sunday (21 September): Rainer Zietlow, Marius Biela and Matthias Prillwitz will set out in a Volkswagen Touareg in pursuit of a world record time over a route that connects the northern tip of Europe with the southern tip of South Africa: From North Cape to Cape Agulhas.

The route – over 17,000 km long – is 97 per cent paved and passes through the countries of Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Awaiting the adventurers are deep potholes in Sudan and Ethiopia, countless switchbacks in the African highlands and the infamous "Road of Hell" peak with its corrugated and volcanic rock surfaces in northern Kenya. Temperatures range from freezing in Norway to 48 degrees Celsius in Sudan.

The team has been preparing for this ambitious project for over a year now, including a scouting tour in the opposite direction that Rainer Zietlow and Marius Biela drove in June. This tour served to define all critical points and to map the entire route with GPS data. During the record-breaking marathon, the team will drive around the clock in a three-shift system that will only be interrupted for diesel refuelling stops, meal times and the usual formalities at country borders.

Team leader Rainer Zietlow will be accompanied by Marius Biela, a photographer and video productions specialist, and Matthias Prillwitz, an experienced participant of Rally Germany. Their vehicle is the new Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI, which is essentially a standard production car. The only modifications made for this ultimate endurance test were to add a rollover cage and two auxiliary fuel tanks for a driving range of over 3,000 kilometres per fuel stop.

During the record drive, the team will post daily reports on their experiences at the website www.touareg-capetocape.com, and a blog will provide information about each day's stage with photos and a brief video. The current position of the Touareg will also be shown on a virtual map that is updated every five minutes. A free app developed by Hewlett Packard (HP CapetoCape) will show the latest data from the Touareg such as acceleration, braking behaviour and even suspension damper displacement in real time.

Off-road enthusiast Rainer Zietlow began his numerous global tours in 2005. On his adventures, he set two world records in 2011 and 2012: The "Panamerican" from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska in 11 days and 17 hours, and the "Russtralia" from Melbourne to St. Petersburg in 17 days and 18 hours.

Nissan takes number one spot for sales in Norway for October with the LEAF all electric car

• 100% Electric Nissan LEAF best selling car in Norway for October
• Family electric car is fourth best selling car in Norway for 2013 to date
• Increase in demand outside of major cities pushes Nissan LEAF to new EV sales record

The Nissan LEAF, the world's best-selling 100% electric vehicle, has for the first time claimed the number one spot in Norway's passenger car sales chart. In October, the zero emission family car outsold all of its internal combustion engine, hybrid and electric rivals, taking almost 6% of the total passenger vehicle market.

Nissan's second generation LEAF, which was launched earlier in the year, continues to lead the way in zero emission mobility. The Nissan LEAF consistently performs outstandingly in the Norwegian market, the undisputed electric car capital of the world, taking fourth in the sales charts for 2013 to date with over 3% of the market.

Jean-Pierre Diernaz, Nissan Europe Director of Electric Vehicles, is delighted with the latest Norwegian success, commenting: "We have had incredibly strong sales this year in Norway and with the introduction of the new Nissan LEAF in the middle of 2013, we have seen that level not just maintained, but exceeded. To get the number one spot is an extraordinary sales performance, even for the world's best selling electric car, but to be number four in the charts for 2013 so far is something we are incredibly proud of. We continue to be successful in the main Norwegian cities, but the majority of our growth is coming from rural areas, which shows the breadth of the Nissan LEAF's appeal."

Norway has been the centre of the electric vehicle market in Europe for some time, with a package of incentives including zero VAT and zero road tax for electric vehicles as part of efforts to improve air quality for all citizens.

Jacek Gorski, Nissan Nordic Europe Managing Director believes the success is because the car fits Norwegian customers' needs, commenting: "It is no surprise that we are beating even our April record of second position with the new Nissan LEAF, we knew that the latest version was an even better fit to the Norwegian lifestyle. The increased boot capacity, five seats and standard quick charging make it a great family car. In addition, our engineers have designed a Nordic pack including battery heater, just for the Nordic region, to maintain customer satisfaction even in our very cold winters."

Tesla's Model S becomes NORWAY's best selling car in September

Tesla Motor's all-electric Model S became the top-selling car in Norway last month, with drivers also paying a premium to buy the sports car second-hand to avoid having to wait five months for a new one, dealers said.

The high performance Tesla S had a market share of 5.1 percent in Norway last month, accounting for 616 of the 12,168 new cars sold and pushing the conventionally-powered Volkswagen Golf into second place with a 4.6 percent share, according to official figures.

"There has been an enormous demand for this car and it doesn't seem to stop. We have a lot of customers on the waiting list right now," said Joar Tenfjord, the head of Tesla's dealership in Bergen, Norway's second largest city.

Electric cars have been especially popular in Norway because of generous subsidies, free parking, government-provided re-charging stations, the right to use express lanes on highways and exemptions from tolls.

"You get great value for your money with the Model S in Norway," Tenfjord said. "It is a spacious car and it is also environmentally friendly."

A new Tesla Model S costs $110,000-$117,000 in Norway's notoriously expensive car market, well above the $70,000 it costs in the United States, but existing owners willing to part with their car could get $130,000 for them, Tenfjord said.

The Tesla S went on sale in Europe in August. The model has a top speed of 200 kph (125 mph) and acceleration of 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) in 5.4 seconds. Its 483 km (300 miles) range outstrips other all-electric cars.

Tesla has already sold 14,300 units of the Model S in the United States so far this year.

Nice profit

Some drivers in Norway are now willing to pay as much as $20,000 extra to get the new Model S from existing owners. Currently only 12 of the new Teslas are available on Finn.no, Norway's top classified Web site with asking prices of up to $130,000.

"I have noticed that some people make a very nice profit on these cars," Tenfjord said. "The demand is extreme."

One of those second hand buyers, 27-year-old financial consultant Anders Langset, said a regular car with similar performance and engine size could have cost him up to 2 million crowns ($330,000) because of the punitive taxes Norway's government levies on cars with big engines.

"I paid more for a second-hand car than I would have paid if I bought it when it was new, but the demand is so high that I am sure I would get my money back and then some if I sold it again today," Langset said.

A BMW 5 series sells in the $100,000-$115,000 range in Norway, below the Model S, but its internal combustion engine is less powerful.

Cars with conventional engines of similar power to the Tesla model would typically retail for $200,000 and above as taxes are levied on engine size. Some carmakers sell their vehicles with smaller engines in Norway than the rest of Europe to keep them affordable.

Meanwhile no immediate effect has been seen on Norwegian demand for the Model S after a video emerged last week showing a Model S on fire after an accident near Seattle, which slightly dented this year's meteoric rise in Tesla's share price.

"We have had some questions from customers but it appears to have been a one-off and it has in no way reduced demand," Tenfjord said.

Tesla said the fire stemmed from a "highly uncommon occurrence" after the car was driven over a "large, oddly shaped metal object" which punched a hole through the quarter-inch armor plate protecting the lithium-ion battery pack, and that had it been a gasoline-powered car "the result could have been far worse."

Norway takes LEAF to its heart.

• Nissan LEAF takes 1.7% of total Norway market
• Award winning EV is second top seller in Norway's second city
• EV drivers enjoy extensive set of benefits
• Sales set to rise even higher in 2013

No country has sold more Nissan LEAF models per capita than Norway, with the world's first mass production electric vehicle taking 1.7 percent of all vehicle sales in 2012, its first full year on sale.

The country has embraced zero emission mobility like no other. The multi-award winning Nissan LEAF was Norway's 13th best selling new car with almost 2,298 examples registered in 2012.

More impressively yet, LEAF is the second best selling car overall in Trondheim, Norway's second largest city behind Oslo.

In total, more than 3,300 units have been sold in Norway since the battery-powered electric car went on sale in October 2011, and last year it was Nissan's second most popular model in the country with sales just 599 units behind Qashqai.

Part of the reason for its success is that Norway's five million inhabitants are among the most environmentally aware in the world and all have access to power created from renewable energy - hydroelectric plants generate 99 percent the country's electricity, more than in any other country in the world.

Sales of the Nissan LEAF have also been boosted by the incentives open to buyers and drivers of electric vehicles in Norway. There's no value added tax (VAT) on the car's purchase price and no road tax to pay.

Toll roads, tunnels and ferries are mostly free to EV drivers while any driver commuting to work in an EV in Norway is allowed to use bus lanes; a typical rush hour drive might take as little as 20 minutes in a Nissan LEAF compared to over an hour in a conventionally powered car.

The EV driver also benefits from free parking while dedicated EV parking spaces usually include access to a charging post -- and the electricity is free, of course.

Norway, in common with Nordic nations Sweden, Finland and Denmark, also has a growing network of Quick Chargers to allow EV drivers to tackle longer journeys. Quick chargers, which allow a depleted battery to be recharged to 80 percent of its capacity in as little as 30 minutes, can be found in shopping malls and car parks.

Reflecting the popularity of electric vehicles across the country, Norway is to receive 10 of the 400 chargers Nissan has pledged to give to European markets.

In addition, a link has recently been established with McDonalds Restaurants, which will be installing Quick Chargers in its car parks, allowing EV drivers to recharge their car's batteries while they recharge their own, a blend of Fast Food and Fast Charging.

Currently Norway has around 3,500 publicly accessible AC normal chargers and 65 publicly accessible DC quick chargers, and by the end of 2013 there will be more than 200 DC quick chargers across Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.

Norway has also seen some notable EV firsts, such as young mum Solveig Marie Ødegård who passed her driving test in 2012 behind the wheel of a driving school's Nissan LEAF. The real significance, however, is not simply that she passed her test in an EV, but that she has never driven a car powered by an internal combustion engine in her life.

Her first car? A new Nissan LEAF, of course.

Increasing EV sales mean there's a growing band of enthusiastic owners keen to compare notes with likeminded people so Norway has an active EV organization with a lively discussion forum. Membership of the forum is included in the purchase price of every Nissan LEAF sold in the country.

Nissan LEAF also took center stage at a pioneering 'hands-on' exhibition, Future:Today, that opened in Oslo in October last year at the start of a seven week Nordic tour across Norway and Sweden. Special guests included more than 200 Nissan LEAF owners, many of whom regard themselves as ambassadors for the car.