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Delivery of the UK's first Nissan LEAF EV cars started today and Auto Trader was on hand to witness the first two deliveries. The Nissan LEAF is being pitched as the world's first mass produced, affordable family electric vehicle (EV) on sale.

Priced from £30,990 - reduced to £25,990 with the government plug-in car grant - the LEAF has been recognised as a significant step forward for sustainable motoring and has already scooped the coveted 2011 European Car of the Year title.

The two first happy custodians comprised Smooth Radio DJ Mark Goodier and engineer Richard Todd. Both cars were similarly specced and sparkling in their metallic black lustre under the showroom lights at Glyn Hopkin Nissan in Waltham Abbey.

The Hertfordshire-based dealer is one of 26 dealerships appointed to sell the new zero emissions family car and already features three EV charging stations in the customer car park. Nissan says parking in the quick-charge bay for a 30-minute showroom mooch could return the Nissan LEAF to 80 per cent charge capacity. Further, there are several UK programmes under way to install around 9,000 charge points by 2013.

The LEAF is currently built in Japan, but battery production for Europe will begin in Sunderland next year, and LEAF production will commence here in late 2013. Nissan is working hard to achieve what it calls a 'global critical mass' of around 500,000 units, to help it make LEAF pricing even more competitive. With the new Ford Focus starting from £15,999, the Nissan LEAF is still a significantly larger investment.

For 2011, the UK has been allocated 1500 units of the Nissan LEAF and there is currently a six-month waiting list.

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