Nissan Leaf will arrive in Canada in 2011

Nissan's Leaf, billed as the world's first affordable electric car with zero emissions, will launch in Canada in 2011. The first cars will be available in B.C. where the Renault-Nissan alliance will work with the B.C. government to build charging stations to support the car. The Leaf , which seats five, is said to be capable of reaching speeds up to 140 kph, making it the first all electric car suitable for highway driving. The car's range is 160 km between charges, according to the Nissan website. Pricing for the new car has not been released, but Nissan says it will be competitively priced with other compact vehicles. There could also be tax breaks and other incentives in the various markets where the car will be sold. According to Nissan, the Leaf will give consumers a drive comparable to what they would expect from a traditional V6 gasoline-powered car, while satisfying the daily driving requirements of more than 70 percent of drivers. Nissan expects to take 20,000 advance orders for the Leaf before it lands in dealerships next fall.