Nissan: 12,000 Leafs Will Be Sold in U.S. by End of 2011Nissan: 12,000 Leafs Will Be Sold in U.S. by End of 2011

Yesterday the monthly sales figures for the 2011 Nissan Leaf and 2011 Chevrolet Volt were released, giving rise to the usual slew of articles picking apart the buying decisions of U.S. car buyers. 
But behind the traditional media frenzy on the first of every month as plug-in vehicle sales figures are released comes the news that Nissan says it can finish delivering the 2011 Leaf to every customer who has been patiently waiting for one since the pre-ordering process started back in April last year – and perhaps more besides.
Slow start
So far deliveries of the all-electric family hatchback have been slow, with only 2,167 cars being shipped in the U.S. in the six months since the car was launched. 
Despite the devastating Earthquake and Tsunami earlier this year which temporarily halted production at the Japanese factory where the Leaf is produced, Nissan was less affected by the disaster than fellow Japanese firms Honda and Toyota, succeeding in shipping almost as many Leafs to U.S. customers as its Detroit rival Chevrolet shipped 2011 Volts in the six months since both cars were launched. 
John Duncan takes delivery of one of the first 2011 Nissan LEAF EVs, near Portland OR, 12/15/2010
55% reservation to order confirmation
Interestingly, of the 20,000, $99 ‘waiting list’ reservations Nissan took between April and September last year, only 55 percent of those reservations, or 11,000 customers went forward to confirm an order.
Since the controversial online ordering system was replaced with the more conventional dealer-based ordering system, an additional 1,000 cars have been ordered. 
10% delivered so far, 90% to go
With only 10 percent (2,167) cars delivered to the end of May, Nissan has the gargantuan task of delivering the remaining 90% of ordered Leafs by the end of the year, representing a huge increase in demand on the automaker. 
Although Nissan is in the process of preparing its production facility in Smyrna Tennessee to begin U.S. domestic production of the Leaf in 2012, all 2011and 2012 Nissan Leafs will originate from Nissan’s Oppama factory. With every third car rolling off the production line a Leaf, the factory is working hard to ensure that worldwide demand is met from customers in Europe, Asia and North America.
Fast Charging 2011 Nissan Leaf
Are you next?
If you’ve reserved and confirmed your order for a 2011 Nissan Leaf and have yet to get it we’d love to hear from you. When did you get your confirmation, and when is your delivery expected to take place? 
Let us know in the Comments below. 
[SFgate]

View original artcle at:  “https://www.greencarreports.com//news/1060929_nissan-12000-leafs-will-be-sold-in-u-s-by-end-of-2011”