Nissan says it will initially only the best performing dealers in Europe to distribute the new all-electric Leaf vehicles if the manufacturer gears up for major regional launches.
Production of the C-segment five-door model has already begun in Oppama, Japan, with European cars to be produced in UK-factory of Nissan in Sunderland from 2013, but the automaker is still very selective about which dealers receive the model.
"For the beginning that we're going to choosing the best dealers [from] of 3500," said Nissan sales and marketing Europe SVP Simon Thomas only-car on the launch of the media in Portugal.
"They will have to have a proven track record of delivering excellent customer service – the majority of dealers want to be part of it."
In the United Kingdom, this means about 10% of the dealers will receive the car while all chosen marketing will have a special training to explain the technology to customers and to ensure that the EV reaches the right customers.
"This is not a normal car," said Thomas."It has a high level of technology [but] technology is less complex than the internal combustion engine.
"[But] if someone in Stornoway [Scottish Hebridean Island] wants to buy a leaf that is not the best because of the dealer coverage and topography maybe.
"And if they go down to Birmingham on a daily basis, they might consider an alternative Nissan-the customer owns some of this responsibility too."
Fear around this new technology is a factor that Thomas easily recognizes will be part of a purchase decision, but to that end, Nissan will restore service for the first year.
"In the first year will offer repair of a house or a garage," said Thomas. "We will take a approach that we recognise that this is new for the customer. "
Nissan has orders for 26,000 Leafs on her books worldwide.
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