Nissan Leaf prices set to fall

Nissan says the price of its Leaf electric car is set to drop significantly.

The Leaf's price was recently hiked by £2000 to £25,990 (including a £5000 Government grant) in the UK as a result of currency fluctuations with Japan.

However, Nissan's factory in Sunderland will start making the Leaf's batteries next year, while production of the Leaf itself starts in 2013, and Nissan's corporate vice-president of global communications, Simon Sproule, said the move to European-based production would bring prices back down.

'Building the cars and batteries in Sunderland will bring prices down significantly because of the inherent savings – certainly below the original launch price,' said Sproule.