The Renault-Nissan Alliance, a leader in zero-emission mobility, has sold its 250,000th electric vehicle: a white Renault ZOE bought by a French engineer.

The alliance reached the historic milestone in early June, four and a half  years after the launch of the Nissan Leaf, the world’s first mass-market zero-emission vehicle, said a statement.

It accounts for about half of the electric vehicles sold worldwide, with Nissan Leaf remaining the best-selling electric vehicle of all time, with more than 180,000 units sold.

From January through May, the alliance sold about 31,700 EVs - up nearly 15 per cent over the same period of last year.

Carlos Ghosn, chairman and chief executive officer, said: “Demand for our electric vehicles continues to grow thanks to government incentives and the expanding charging infrastructure.

“The positive response of our customers is also driving demand. These vehicles enjoy some of the highest levels of satisfaction rates from our customers around the world.”

The 250,000th owner is Yves Nivelle, a computer engineer, who traded in his 21-year-old diesel car for the subcompact Renault ZOE.

Nivelle bought his EV after the French government introduced an environmental bonus in April to allow owners of older, polluting diesel cars to trade them in and get a rebate of €10,000 ($11,189) on a new EV.

“The government’s environmental bonus was a big factor in my decision to get an EV. But I have to say, I was convinced the first time I drove the car. It’s a real pleasure to drive and it feels good to do my part for the environment,” he added. - TradeArabia News Service