Updated: Nissan unveils price of electric Leaf

Nissan has today announced the long-awaited European pricing for its electric vehicle, the Leaf, confirming the soon-to-be-launched car will cost £23,350 in the UK after a government incentive of £5,000 has been included.

The company said the car will be priced at less than €30,000 (£25,600) for most of its European target markets, putting the cost on a par with comparably equipped diesel or hybrid vehicles.

As well as the UK, Nissan also confirmed pricing for the Republic of Ireland and Portugal, where the Leaf will cost €29,955 after incentives, and the Netherlands where it will break through the €30,000 barrier and be priced at €32,839, although tax breaks will save drivers between €5,000 and €16,000 over five years.

Significantly, all prices include the battery, after Nissan opted to ditch plans to lease it to customers separately. Simon Thomas, Nissan's European sales and marketing senior vice president, said the mixed sales model would add unnecessary complexity to the sales process.

As well as straightforward sales, Nissan is readying a bespoke financial deal for Leaf purchases. "In the next 60 days we will announce a new acquisition method – an all-encompassing package to buy, use and maintain the vehicle," Thomas said, confirming that this new package would lead to an outright purchase rather than a long-term lease.

He added that he expected third parties to provide the Leaf for UK corporate customers looking for a fully leased option.

European orders for the five-seat, zero-emission Leaf can be placed from July onwards, while non-refundable deposits will be taken in November. Deliveries of right-hand drive cars in the UK and Ireland will commence in February 2011, while left-hand drive cars will be delivered in the Netherlands and Portugal from December this year. A third wave of deliveries will start in June 2011 in France, Spain, Denmark, Norway and Finland.

The company said that pricing for remaining European markets would be announced nearer the launch, adding that it expected the Leaf to be available in all Europe's largest markets by the end of next year.